Within the same breath, a reporter asked Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla on Monday what his expectations are for Payton Pritchard this season and how well he had gotten to know newcomer Anfernee Simons.

Both players are established scorers. Pritchard is the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and Simons has three consecutive seasons of averaging 19.3 points per game or more under his belt.

But, with the absence of Jrue Holiday , the Celtics could be looking at a significant drop-off on the defensive end at the point guard spot.

There are questions about how both players will be able to hold up defensively on night-in night out basis.

It remains to be see how the two players will look on the floor at the same time, but Mazzulla said he wanted to make it clear that it would be an option

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