Four minutes remain on the clock and the Boston Celtics hold a sizable lead over the Detroit Pistons. Then Ime Udoka rings the changes, bringing in Boston’s youthful contingent of players for some valuable playing time. For a portion of the fanbase, those minutes were an opportunity for Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith to prove they deserve more consideration within the rotation and are capable of stepping up if a spot becomes available after the trade deadline.
Instead, for the second time this season, the kids almost gave the game away. Luckily, unlike the November 20 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Udoka didn’t have to recall his starters to see the contest through.