Baylor Scheierman put on a three-point show for undermanned Celtics

CBS News

19-03-2025

While a Boston Celtics game against the lowly nets without Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown may have seemed like a throwaway game for some, it was an opportunity for others. Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman took full advantage of that opportunity on Tuesday night and put on a show for the fans at TD Garden.
Scheierman entered Tuesday's tilt with just five makes from three-point range for his young career. His downtown strike has been a work in progress throughout his rookie year, but he was locked in against the Nets. He matched and surpassed his previous total in an electric and energetic performance off the Boston bench, as the rookie exploded for 17 points over a seven-minute stretch to help lift the Celtics to a
104-96 victory
.
With Tatum and Brown sitting out the contest, Scheierman was Boston's first wing off the bench behind spot starter Sam Hauser. He's seen an uptick in action over the last month, including a 30-minute appearance against the Philadelphia 76ers a few weeks ago, but Tuesday night was the best he's looked in a Celtics uniform.
Scheierman was feeling it from downtown, draining three after three after three. He finished his night 6-of-7 from downtown, which tied the Boston mark for the second-most made threes by a Celtics rookie. The 20-point outburst (off 7-of-8 shooting overall) was easily his best offensive performance of the year.
Each of his threes sent the Garden crowd into hysterics, as did Scheierman's dramatic flair for the moment. He swished a three just ahead of the buzzer to close out the third quarter, but it didn't count because Joe Mazzulla called a timeout to get Kristaps Porzingis into the game.
No problem for Scheierman, who casually drained another three ahead of the buzzer that
did
count. He took a one-handed feed from Porzingis from the corner, and tickled the nylon from deep to give Boston a 71-70 lead heading into the fourth.
The rookie was even hotter in the fourth quarter. He was a perfect 4-of-4 in the frame, scoring 12 points to help the Celtics pull away with the win. He was spotted jawing with the Brooklyn bench before he drained back-to-back triples to give Boston an 84-80 lead midway through the quarter. His second three of that stretch was of the heat-check variety, which included a friendly TD Garden bounce.
Scheierman followed up that three with an emphatic battle cry to the crowd and finished his celebration off by blowing a kiss -- a celebration he borrowed from Tatum. Boston fans and his Celtics teammates got a kick out of it, though he was told to get a little more creative in the locker room after the game.
"We talked a little bit about it in the locker room," said Scheierman. "I might have to start working on different celebrations."
With the way he played Tuesday night, and with Mazzulla likely looking to get his stars some rest over the final 13 games of the regular season, Scheierman should get more opportunities to drain threes and show off a new celebration.
Scheierman's final three of the night put Boston on top 89-82, and he walked off the court to a huge ovation from Boston fans. It did not feel like a mid-March matchup against the Nets at TD Garden, with the environment matching that of an NCAA Tournament game. Scheierman is always an energizer bunny on the floor, but the former Creighton Bluejay looked like he treated Tuesday's showdown as though he was back in a the Big East tournament.
He was still in awe over the Boston crowd after the game.
"It's pretty special. When I hit that buzzer-beater and the crowd was going crazy, that was probably a top three environment I've ever been a part of," he said. "Obviously, I've played in a lot of big games. But that was special. That's what makes Boston so elite and the best sports town in the country – the best city in the country."
The 30th overall pick in last year's draft -- Brad Stevens' first-ever first-round selection -- Scheierman has been either buried on the Boston bench of playing for the Maine Celtics this year. But with the Celtics all but locked into the two-seed in the East, more rest games are likely coming for the team's stars. That should lead to more opportunities for Scheierman.
While taking and making threes are paramount to Mazzulla's offense, the head coach likes a lot more about his rookie than his three-point prowess.
"The thing I really like about him is his toughness," said Mazzulla. "He's got a high level of toughness, he's got a chip on his shoulder, and kind of like an 'F You' mentality to where he's going to make it work. We saw that on some of his box-outs, some of his offensive rebounds. The threes were great, but I like the mindset and the toughness that he brought on both ends of the floor."
In addition to his 20 points, the 24-year-old Scheierman also added three rebounds, an assist, and a pair of steals. He did a lot of dirty work away from the ball as well, which is a surefire way to earn more run at this point in the season.
Mazzulla said that Scheierman's playing time will be decided by the team's overall health. But the rookie has made tremendous strides over the last several weeks, and he should get more opportunities to expand his game and ignite the team to close out the regular season.