Baylor Scheierman wouldn’t let a damaged thumb hold him out of Sunday’s Celtics-76ers recreation.
The second-year wing fractured the thumb on his left hand in a collision with Brooklyn guard Egor Demin throughout Friday evening’s 148-111 win over the Nets. He remained within the recreation, ending with 10 factors and 6 assists in 22 minutes, and although Boston initially listed him as questionable for Sunday, the group upgraded him to out there earlier than tipoff at TD Backyard.
“I imply, I simply bumped into (Demin),” Scheierman defined. “He was working the opposite approach. I believed he was going to simply chase after the ball as a result of it was up within the air, and I believe my thumb simply form of went into his chest. It simply harm. I seemed down, it simply form of felt bizarre and simply locked. I used to be in a position to form of unlock it and get it free once more, after which taped it up and simply completed the sport.”
Scheierman, who shoots left-handed, wore a splint Sunday to guard the injured digit. That was a brand new expertise for the 25-year-old. Scheierman stated he broke the identical thumb in a special spot when he was in highschool, however that damage required rapid surgical procedure.
“So I’ve by no means actually performed with (a splint),” he stated. “However I obtained some pictures on this morning and this afternoon, and I really feel able to go.”
A take a look at the splint Baylor Scheierman is carrying on his fractured left thumb tonight. He’s a lefty, in order that’s his taking pictures hand. pic.twitter.com/1fcAy63wr3
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) March 1, 2026
Requested whether or not the Celtics contemplate the damage a ache tolerance difficulty that can heal with out surgical procedure, Scheierman replied: “We’re form of simply evaluating it because it goes.”
“However I really feel ok to be on the market, in order that’s form of the way it’s going to be,” he added. “I’m not going to sit down out.”
A deep reserve as a rookie who noticed his enjoying time fluctuate for the primary three months of this season, Scheierman has performed among the finest basketball of his younger profession since transferring full-time into Boston’s beginning lineup in early February. Over his final 10 video games coming into Sunday, he averaged 8.5 factors, 6.7 rebounds and a couple of.6 assists, whereas drawing excessive reward for his much-improved protection.
Since Jan. 28, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 116 factors with Scheierman on the ground, second-best on the group behind Derrick White’s plus-166. His internet score throughout that stretch (plus-18.0) ranks third on the group behind Neemias Queta and White.
“He’s nice,” Sam Hauser stated. “He form of does somewhat little bit of every little thing, kind of a Swiss Military knife. He’s been enjoying rather well. Early within the yr, it was form of up and down whether or not he was going to play lots or not, and he obtained thrown into the beginning lineup and has made probably the most of it, for certain. It’s superior to see one other man form of work his approach into rotation and have constant minutes and play properly.
“Once you get a second like that, you simply need to take advantage of it and do one of the best you possibly can, and he’s carried out a extremely good job of that.”
Tatum watch
Regardless of hypothesis that Jayson Tatum may make his season debut Sunday towards Philadelphia — a recreation that was pushed again two hours to eight p.m. ET and flexed into the marquee slot on NBC — the Celtics dominated their rehabbing celebrity out for the sixtieth consecutive contest.
Tatum is, by all accounts, close to a comeback from Achilles surgery, however his precise timeline stays unclear. He stated months in the past that his first recreation again could be at TD Backyard, so don’t anticipate to see him in uniform Monday when the Celtics go to Milwaukee on the second evening of a back-to-back.
His subsequent alternative to return shall be Wednesday evening, when Boston hosts the Charlotte Hornets. The Celtics have one other residence recreation Friday towards the Dallas Mavericks earlier than starting a difficult three-game highway journey via Cleveland, San Antonio and Oklahoma Metropolis.
The 76ers additionally have been lacking their top-billed star Sunday evening. Former NBA MVP Joel Embiid sat out the sport with a proper indirect pressure. Paul George remained sidelined, as properly, amid a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug coverage.
Tonje indicators two-way
Together with his 10-day contract expired, the Celtics on Sunday re-signed rookie guard John Tonje to a two-way contract.
Acquired from Utah final month within the Chris Boucher commerce, Tonje started his Boston tenure on a two-way deal, then had it transformed to a 10-day to assist the Celtics attain the NBA-mandated minimal of 14 standard-contract gamers.
The 24-year-old Wisconsin product made two garbage-time appearances, scoring his first NBA factors in Friday’s blowout win over Brooklyn. Tonje began for the Maine Celtics on Sunday of their G League recreation towards the Windy Metropolis Bulls.
The Celtics didn’t instantly re-sign veteran guard Dalano Banton, who additionally reached the tip date of his 10-day contract on Saturday. Per NBA guidelines, the Celtics are allowed to roster fewer than 14 gamers for as much as 14 further days this season, and so they’ll doubtless accomplish that to keep away from eclipsing the league’s luxurious tax threshold.
Boston presently has 12 standard-contract gamers — together with Tatum, who has been on the roster all season regardless of not enjoying — and three two-ways: Tonje, wing Ron Harper Jr. and rookie level guard Max Shulga.
Off the rim
Sunday was a busy day for Amari Williams, Tonje and Shulga. After beginning Maine’s recreation in Portland, which tipped off at midday, the trio made it again to Boston in time for Sunday’s NBA tilt on Causeway Avenue. Williams, who drove down, stated he arrived at TD Backyard round 6 p.m., fortunately avoiding any main visitors. … Due to Sunday’s flex, the Celtics can have a good faster turnaround earlier than Monday’s matchup with the Bucks, which begins at 6:30 p.m. native time (7:30 p.m. ET). Requested whether or not he’ll sit any regulars for that recreation, head coach Joe Mazzulla stated he was first targeted on beating the Sixers, who took two of the group’s first three conferences early this season. “Truthfully, any time we’ve ever been in a state of affairs like that, I’m actually simply solely targeted on this one,” he stated.
