Baylor Scheierman doesn’t see Maine Celtics as a demotion: “I actually get pleasure from being up right here”

PORTLAND, MAINE — To say that Baylor Scheierman has capitalized on the chance to start his skilled basketball profession with the Maine Celtics can be an enormous understatement.

By 4 G League video games, the 6’6 ahead is averaging 23 factors on 51.6% capturing, hitting 46.5% of his three-point makes an attempt, and grabbing 9 rebounds per recreation.

And, above all, Scheierman is having a blast.

“It’s all nearly having fun with it,” he stated. “I don’t have a look at it as a demotion. It’s not a demotion. It’s a chance to play, and get dwell reps, and get higher at your recreation in order that when your quantity known as in Boston, you’re able to go.”

In Maine, Scheierman is emulating the function that he’ll have for the Celtics. He’s coming off the bench simply to get within the behavior of it, and he isn’t usually the first initiator on offense.

It’s just like how the Celtics approached Jordan Walsh’s growth throughout his rookie season final 12 months; within the G League, Walsh performed the a part of a job participant, not a star. He prioritized protection, discovered the Celtics’ complicated coverages, and improved his perimeter capturing, quite than attempting to attain one-on-one.

Maine Celtics head coach Tyler Lashbrook, who was one of many Celtics’ participant growth coaches final season, stated that Scheierman has embraced the notion that Maine is a chance to simulate what a potential function would possibly appear like in Boston.

That features studying the right way to put together for coming off the bench, one thing he hasn’t finished a lot of in his basketball profession. On the courtroom, the employees needs him to concentrate on making the proper reads, prioritizing rebounding, and rising defensively.

“We’re replicating a variety of the stuff that he’s gonna do in Boston, when it comes to his pregame routine, and his rotations, and all that stuff that form of will get you used to enjoying off the bench,” Lashbrook stated. “He’s been a soldier for it.”

Lashbrook has been impressed with Scheierman’s capturing and rebounding, two points of his recreation that have been highly-touted popping out of school. However above all, the top coach has appreciated the rookie’s effort.

“He’s a competitor, like I believe you guys noticed,” Lashbrook stated. “He competes always.”

The Creighton standout struggled offensively via the preseason, capturing simply 4 of 24 from the sector.

However, his confidence grew from recreation to recreation, and although he by no means discovered his footing offensively, he felt that every thing else improved.

“Each recreation within the preseason, I acquired higher when it comes to simply every thing else, moreover making pictures,” he stated. “I’m not attempting to overlook pictures — you’ll be able to’t actually management if pictures are getting in or not. I put in a variety of time in that a part of my recreation, so I’m not likely apprehensive about that. However defensively — after which simply offensively when it comes to spacing and crashing the glass — I believe every recreation within the preseason I acquired higher and higher.”

Scheierman is 24 years previous. Followers typically anticipate gamers that age to be able to play NBA minutes from the bounce, however no matter age, Lashbrook stated that there’s a studying curve that just about all gamers comply with.

“The fact is, the best way that the NBA goes is totally different than something they’ve ever seen earlier than,” Lashbrook stated. “The opposite factor that finally ends up taking place, is older guys — or older youthful gamers — nonetheless have a variety of room to develop. I believe that always will get missed.”

Scheierman hopes to comply with the trail that Sam Hauser, others have paved

Within the Celtics group, there’s a transparent blueprint for the right way to benefit from time spent within the G League. Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet have been all at one level primarily enjoying for the Maine Celtics. Now, all of these guys play key roles for the Celtics.

Hauser, who went undrafted in 2021, was arguably the Celtics’ most necessary bench participant through the 2024 championship run. Queta has been spot beginning this season, Walsh has earned early-season perimeter minutes, and Kornet has established himself as an impactful NBA middle.

Lashbrook stated that the teaching employees highlights all of these success tales to the Maine Celtics gamers.

“We do a factor the place we attempt to examine paths from all kinds of totally different guys, and form of present them that it’s potential,” Lashbrook stated. “We undergo every of these guys.”

Scheierman has been talking to all of these gamers, and so they’ve urged him to embrace the chance to get prolonged minutes and touches.

“That was type of the general message from all these guys,” he stated.

Hauser — who averaged 20.2 factors per recreation throughout his G League tenure — signed a four-year, $45 million contract this previous offseason after a breakout season, and is well-known as of one of many franchise’s nice growth tales.

Hauser’s message to Baylor Scheierman forward of his G League debut?

“Be your self. Let it fly. Have enjoyable.”

Scheierman went on to blow up for 31 factors on 12-21 capturing in his first G League recreation.

“It’s simply enjoyable to play,” Scheierman stated. “I actually get pleasure from being up right here. I actually benefit from the staff. We simply play the proper manner.”

Tyler Lashbrook stated that as quickly as Scheierman reported to Maine, the employees defined to him what his pathway towards turning into knowledgeable might appear like.

“Day one, that was one of many first issues that we talked about,” Lashbrook stated. “There’s a imaginative and prescient right here, and that is form of what it seems to be like. We gave him that discuss instantly.”

The Celtics teaching employees comes out to assist in Maine

The complete Celtics teaching employees — together with Joe Mazzulla — attended Sunday’s recreation on the Portland Expo, sitting courtside because the Maine Celtics acquired their second win of the season.

Joe Mazzulla, who served as an assistant coach for the Maine Pink Claws in 2016, stated that he enjoys the chance to assist the G League membership — and that he favored what he noticed from the Maine gamers. Alongside Scheierman, all three of the Celtics’ two-ways — JD Davison, Anton Watson, and Drew Peterson — performed.

“I assumed there was an important connectivity between the employees and the gamers,” Mazzulla stated.

The Celtics’ schedule oftentimes conflicts with Maine, however on this occasion, it labored out. Mazzulla sat together with his spouse, Camai, and son, Manny, as Maine pulled away with a 118-100 victory over the Westchester Knicks.

“It’s a chance to go and assist, and to verify there’s alignment between everybody — that we’re all on the identical web page,” Mazzulla stated.

Scheierman stated that the Boston teaching employees’s courtside presence didn’t add further nerves or change the best way he approached the sport.

However, it did spotlight the unwavering synergy between the 2 organizations.

“It means so much that they’re right here,” Scheierman stated. “[It shows] this issues.”