MEMPHIS — Baylor Scheierman and Sam Hauser took over half of the court for the Celtics’ shootaround on Monday morning. Derrick White arrived later for a workout, but the closing stretch of Boston’s season has belonged to the rookie. Messages and retweets continue to flow in from friends, family and fans reacting to his Rajon Rondo-esqe drop off pass to Neemias Queta late in the Celtics’ win at Phoenix on Wednesday.
And that’s the game where he played the least recently. Tonight’s a TNT showcase where Jaylen Brown’s (knee) questionable status could secure him more extended minutes.
“That’s something I’ve done a lot over my basketball career,” Scheierman told CLNS Media. “Going back to middle school and high school. I know to the people probably just watching this year, they’re like, ‘I’ve never seen that before.’ But all my high school and people from back home are like, ‘I’ve seen that a million times’ … (there has been) a lot of interaction on social media. It’s all fun.”
Scheierman’s consistent presence over last seven games, all wins for the Celtics, gave a monotonous final month added excitement for both fans and Scheierman. Joe Mazzulla, who’s stressed winning all of the late regular season games despite Boston being effectively locked into the second seed, keeps going back to Scheierman. He’s mentioned Scheierman’s energy and edge, and whereas he’ll usually switch role players night-to-night on a matchup basis, Scheierman earned first quarter minutes for most of the trip. A sign they could be developing something toward a more important moment, whether this postseason or into the year two.
Scheierman admits the playoffs, less than three weeks away now, entered his mind as he prepares for any potential role in them. He’s tried to counteracted that by focusing on the day-to-day, the approach he expected to play out between Boston and Maine earlier this season before he spent most of his rookie year in the G-League. Since January, he’s traveled, practiced and played with the NBA team, a late initiation that now looks substantive as he surprises teammates.
“I think (he’s) just comfortable,” White said. “You come in as a rookie, everything’s just so fast and I think his time with Maine was big and I think everything’s kind of slowed down for him. He’s gotten an opportunity here these last few games and he’s definitely taken advantage of it. So he can do a lot of different things out there on the court. Not just a shooter and so he’s just kind of showing off his whole game. I knew he could pass a little bit, but he’s definitely showcased that … his swagger and his confidence, that’s just who he is and it’s been fun to see.”
Shot-making changed Scheierman’s fortunes most, now shooting 15 for his last 30 from three out of 32 total field goal attempts. The Celtics mostly relied on him to space the floor, but in spot transition moments, attacking closeouts and even initiating some sets, the versatility he allows with his playmaking emerged. Something that wasn’t as visible in the preseason, where his 16.7% mark from the field rendered him ineffective.
In Maine, he dominated and acclimated to the role he’d eventually play, though he stayed mostly isolated from the pro team aside from his film sessions on Facetime with Boston assistant Craig Luschenat. He hadn’t talked to Mazzulla much during those days. Now, Mazzulla’s calling him off the bench first sometimes, a development that’s allowed teammates to rest comfortably late in the schedule and fans to dream about the possibilities for Brad Stevens’ first pick ever in the first round. Perhaps as soon as next month.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Scheierman said. “That’s what you dream about and that’s why you put in all the work to be able to get to that spot and obviously the more opportunity you get, pretty much the more the more comfortable and confident you get and I think that’s what’s happened with me … part of it is I’ve gained a lot of trust from the coaches and players, but also, I think just the longer you’re out there, the more opportunity there is to do stuff … it’s come a little late in the season, but I’m happy it’s been called and obviously just looking forward to, every time I step on the court, to make an impact.”
