Portland, ME — Baylor Scheierman anticipated to take his rookie season week-to-week, going forwards and backwards between Boston and Portland for G-League stints to get minutes on a crowded championship roster. Earlier this season, two suitcases sat in entrance of his Boston locker after he rushed again from Maine in a automotive service for a pre-game TD Backyard exercise.
He’s lived out of these suitcases since, able to zip them up and journey at a second’s discover. Out of sight in current months at Auerbach Middle, he and Boston assistant Craig Luschenat get on FaceTime and go over Maine and Boston movie, forecasting how Scheierman may slot in with the professional workforce finally.
Scheierman acquired an extended heads-up about this call-up, the Celtics alerting him Thursday morning earlier than his G-League sport towards Faculty Park that he’d rejoin Boston the next day for the primary time since Dec. 23. Scheierman reached a brand new excessive that night time with Maine, scoring 23 factors with eight rebounds and 11 assists on 6-for-14 capturing (4-8 3PT). He returned from a hamstring damage within the fourth quarter to assist shut out a win in additional time.
“I’ve loved my time up right here rather a lot,” Scheierman informed CLNS Media earlier than the sport. “I benefit from the guys and the coaches rather a lot, and simply get pleasure from enjoying and in the end that’s the way you get higher is getting these stay reps. So I’ve tried to make the most of each likelihood I get to return out right here and play … I really feel much more snug now than after I first obtained up right here. Clearly with enjoying with new teammates and coaches, it takes a while to regulate, however the extra reps I’ve gotten, the extra I’ve gotten extra snug not simply with the workforce however with the NBA fashion as an entire.”
Jordan Walsh and Scheierman successfully swapped spots after the previous thrived within the preseason and the latter struggled to shoot. The Celtics drafted Scheierman, 24, with some expectation that 5 faculty seasons would enable him to contribute instantly with common contributors out. Regardless of quite a few accidents within the first half, Boston leaned with Walsh and others for these conditions and allowed Scheierman to develop full-time.
Whereas Walsh centered on enjoying a slender function just like how he’d play with Boston final 12 months, Scheierman grew right into a secondary level guard possibility for Maine via accidents and Ron Harper Jr.’s call-up to Detroit. He leads units into the second unit, and threw flashy dump-off and behind-the-back passes that confirmed him absolutely snug with the ball in his arms. Scheierman famous that he performed level guard with South Dakota St. earlier than transferring to Creighton. Earlier this week, he threw a stunning full court docket go to JD Davison for a layup.
“He took a knee, we didn’t know if we have been gonna have him,” Maine coach Tyler Lashbrook mentioned on Thursday night time after Scheierman’s damage. “He’s a baller and a warrior, so it was gonna take all the pieces to maintain him out. It was actually a roster want (shifting him to level guard). We knew he had that talent set and would at all times be capable to assist out as a playmaker. It’s form of how the roster goes within the G-League. It’s at all times altering, so he was in a position to slide into that function and we’ve stored him in it.”
Scheierman’s call-up comes with the Celtics absolutely wholesome, although having tried and unsuccessfully creating the deeper bench into constant roles. Walsh’s capturing limitations harm his match offensively earlier than he missed two video games with an sickness earlier this month. Xavier Tillman Sr. misplaced his rotation function two months in the past for related causes whereas Jaden Springer by no means emerged after arriving in a commerce final February. Two-way wing Drew Peterson, regardless of a powerful displaying at Cleveland final month, returned to Maine and suffered a concussion final week. He’s near a return, Lashbrook mentioned. He doesn’t at the moment seem on Boston’s radar for a bigger function.
That left Scheierman as a possible resolution for depth wing minutes. He’s solely performed 6.8 minutes per night time throughout 5 appearances late in video games, his final approaching Dec. 2. Protection, connectivity with the professional workforce and a 1-for-10 begin within the NBA make him carving out a task now a protracted shot, particularly with the beginning lineup needing extra reps collectively. In a uncommon transfer, Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis will each play on Friday night time within the first half of a back-to-back, setting each as much as probably miss Saturday’s sport towards the Hawks. Maybe Scheierman’s alternative.
Maine performs once more at 1 p.m. on Saturday towards Faculty Park.
“I’m centered on being the place my toes are,” Scheierman mentioned. “I believe that’s all I can do and proceed to develop. I believe I’ve made nice strides from after I first obtained up right here to now. That’s the aim for the second half of the season as effectively is take it at some point at a time, proceed to develop, proceed to get higher on the court docket, off the court docket as complete and simply be prepared when my quantity’s referred to as.”
