Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard praised his new teammate Nikola Vucevic following the Boston Celtics‘ win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.

Vucevic was +17 off the bench for Boston. Pritchard asserted that “Vooch” is obviously a starter-level player in the NBA, being a multiple-time All-Star, and he plays like it when he comes into the game for the Celtics.

Pritchard knows a thing or two about coming off the bench despite possessing starter talent.

Payton Pritchard on Nikola Vucevic:

“Vooch is an unbelievable player… He helps our team tremendously.” pic.twitter.com/4SW3NcmkHn

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) February 20, 2026

Vucevic has put together another reliable season in 2025-26, delivering steady production across two teams.

The 35-year-old center opened another strong season for the Chicago Bulls, starting all 48 games and averaging 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three-point range in 30.8 minutes per contest.

He enjoyed a particularly productive January stretch, putting up 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game over 33 minutes. His veteran presence helped stabilize the Bulls’ frontcourt amid another middling campaign for the franchise.

On February 5, Chicago dealt Vucevic to Boston in exchange for Anfernee Simons and future draft considerations. Since joining the Celtics, the Montenegrin big man has come off the bench in his initial appearances, logging about 26 minutes per game across four outings. In that span, he has posted 13.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game on 48.5 percent shooting overall and a crisp 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Standout moments include a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds with four assists in his debut against Miami on February 6, followed by 19 points and 11 rebounds, including four made threes, against his former Bulls squad on February 11 in a 124-105 Boston victory.

Overall through 52 games this season, Vucevic sits at 16.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on 50.3 percent shooting. His ability to stretch the floor and control the glass has given the contending Celtics added frontcourt depth and experience as they chase a strong Eastern Conference finish.

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