When the executives at Turner Sports reviewed their March 6 schedule and saw 76ers-Celtics as the first half of their NBA package, there had to be consideration to flex out.
The 76ers are a shell of the team that was expected to push the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid, playing on one leg when he was playing, was ruled out for the season a week ago. Tyrese Maxey injured his back Monday, while Paul George was scratched earlier Thursday with a groin issue.
Yet, there weren’t many alternatives for the flex. Warriors-Nets? Bulls-Magic? Pacers-Hawks?
Baylor Scheierman’s shot tonight 🔥
Folks, Brad may have done it again 👀 pic.twitter.com/gfSnbg3YBz
— Chuddy's Corner ☘️🏀 (@ChuddysCorner) March 7, 2025
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The Celtics’ 123-105 win was more able Joe Mazzulla’s desire to give his second- and third-unit players quality minutes and rare opportunities as much as it was to give Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jaylen Brown another night off in preparation for Saturday’s showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers.
And it was a sneaky important game for the Celtics as they try to create space from the New York Knicks. They were able to pick up 1½ games over the past three days, and it could be more depending on New York’s late Thursday against the Lakers.
It was no surprise Mazzulla used his little-used reserves in such a situation, because the Celtics’ coherent theme the past few years is to ensure that every player on the roster is reliable. He started two-way forward Drew Peterson, used Jordan Walsh for nearly 13 minutes, and threw in JD Davison and Xavier Tillman in the fourth quarter.
But the most critical stretch was the nearly 30 minutes from rookie Baylor Scheierman, who scored a career-high 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting.
Scheierman is no one-and-done. He’s 24 and comes from this current generation that received the opportunity to play five full college seasons.
There is more expected from Scheierman because of his age and college experience, and the Celtics have kept him on the roster for the past month, hoping he could emerge as a floor-stretching contributor that can defend and rebound.
Many analysts lauded the Celtics for their late first-round drafting of Scheierman because of his versatility. Encouraging Thursday was his 3-for-7 clip from the 3-point line after starting out missing 14 of his first 15. The Celtics want Scheierman to shoot, play with confidence, chase down loose balls, and give them another productive wing.
“He was great on both ends of the floor,” Mazzulla said of Scheierman. “I thought he passed up a couple of early shots when he was open. And when he got in rhythm he was able to make a couple.
“But [he’s] another guy that, regardless of how well he shoots, he’ll be defined by the other stuff that he does — the rebounding, defense, the loose ball he chased down, the charge he took. I thought he played a well-rounded game.”
Because the Celtics have so many high salaried players and they live in the restricted second apron, it’s critical to find players who are inexpensive and useful. Mazzulla plays the main guys so many minutes that finding time can be a difficult endeavor. But the coach has no sympathy for those who aren’t prepared even when they didn’t expect their chance.
Preparation is a prerequisite for being a Celtics reserve. Throughout the past few weeks, Mazzulla has thrown Peterson, Scheierman, and Davison into competitive and meaningful games. It’s a sign of trust, but also a test.
Earlier this week, the Celtics waived former second-round pick Anton Watson because they were not impressed with his development or satisfied with his improvement. And Mazzulla didn’t even use Watson in garbage time when he spent a brief stint with the Celtics last week.
On Thursday, he gave newly signed two-way player Miles Norris his NBA debut in his second game in uniform. His 4 minutes were inconsequential but he did grab 2 rebounds.
The Celtics are going to spend the last 19 regular-season games determining who is actually capable of playoff minutes. Scheierman appears to be gaining Mazzulla’s trust, and Thursday’s performance didn’t hurt his standing in the organization.
“I think it’s just a balance,” Scheierman said. “They told me to shoot it when I’m open, and just trying to get a feel for the game and how it’s played. (Jayson Tatum) is always telling me to shoot it if I’m open.
“It was a lot of fun for sure. This is one performance, and I try to be short-sighted and be on to the next game, but it definitely felt good to make an impact.”
And while the game didn’t carry as much interest and buildup as expected, it was still an important step for the Celtics as they prepare their roster for the postseason.
