Boston Celtics rookie Payton Pritchard, who suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee on Jan. 22, may reportedly be able to return to play quicker than initially thought.
Pritchard suffered the injury versus the Philadelphia 76ers when teammate Jaylen Brown crashed into his right leg. He had to be helped off the court by the team medical staff and was unable to put any weight onto his leg following the play.
The Celtics originally announced that Pritchard was ruled out for at least two weeks after it was determined he suffered a Grade I sprain. However, according to Chris Grenham of Forbes, the Celtics are targeting Feb. 3 for his return, which would be just under the two-week timeline.
Pritchard, who has not played since suffering the injury, was seen on Wednesday putting up shots in San Antonio prior to the Celtics playing the Spurs, an indication that Pritchard is progressing well in his rehab.
I've been told by two sources that the initial target date for Pritchard's return is next Wednesday's matchup vs. the Kings (2/3). Time will tell if that remains the case. https://t.co/Anc5iwyrCn
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) January 28, 2021
Of course, the new target date for Pritchard to return is not official as he could still need additional time to be cleared to play. However, Pritchard traveling with the Celtics and putting up shots is a strong indication that he could be ready to play quicker than the original two-week timeline.
The 26th overall pick this season has emerged as a key player off the bench for the Celtics, averaging 7.7 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds on 42.5% shooting from 3-point range.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
[lawrence-related id=25932,24920,24347]
[listicle id=26574]