Baylor

Scheierman

Boston is locked into the two-seed in the East, so there’s no reason for the team’s core players to see action in Sunday’s regular-season finale. Brown and Tatum are among the absentees, with the former’s status being more concerning. Brown has received pain management injections in his right knee, but the expectation is that he’ll be good to go for the playoffs. Tatum is simply resting on Sunday. Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman will play rotation minutes against the Hornets.

Holiday and White were among the Celtics starters held out of Wednesday’s loss to the Magic. Their returns mean Payton Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman will come off the bench. Pritchard would be worth holding onto in active leagues, while Scheierman would not.

This will be Pritchard’s second absence of the season, with the other coming in early February. With one of the best bench scorers in the league unavailable, Joe Mazzulla will likely turn to Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman for extra minutes off the bench.

Hauser was held out of Monday’s win over the Kings, which led to Baylor Scheierman remaining in the Celtics’ rotation. With Hauser available, Scheierman’s minutes will likely decrease. The rookie has not been worth rostering in fantasy leagues, so nothing changes in that regard.

Boston is calling this a left ankle sprain. Domantas Sabonis was assessed a flagrant foul after Tatum landed on Sabonis’ foot while coming down from shooting a three-pointer, which is when Tatum twisted his ankle. He shot the flagrant free throws but went back to the locker room after that. He had 25 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and five three-pointers in 26 minutes before injuring his ankle in the third quarter. They initially said he was doubtful to return, but Boston was able to extend their lead, which affirmed that he wouldn’t need to try to play through the injury. Payton Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman took on extra minutes with Tatum unavailable, and if Sam Hauser (back) is back to play in Phoenix on Wednesday, he could start if Tatum isn’t able to suit up.

On most nights when the Celtics are shorthanded, Payton Pritchard is the reserve who steps up. It was Scheierman’s turn on Tuesday, as he recorded new career highs in points (20), field goals (seven) and three-pointers (six) against the Nets. And the first-round pick only required 16 minutes to do it. Pritchard (10/4/2 with three three-pointers) also hit double-figures in the win, but Scheierman was the star for the Celtics. While there could come a point down the stretch when the Celtics give the rookie more opportunities as the veterans prepare for the postseason, that isn’t guaranteed. There’s no need to add Scheierman in the aftermath of Tuesday’s performance.

Both of Boston’s superstar wings are questionable to play against Miami, and it is important to note that this is the first game of a back-to-back, with the second leg against Brooklyn. It is unlikely that both Tatum and Brown play in both games, though sitting out against the tanking Nets feels more likely. Joe Mazzulla could opt to stagger their availability or play both against Miami. It’s unclear at this point, but Sam Hauser would likely move into the starting unit if one or both miss a game. Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman would also be in line for more minutes.

The rookie out of Creighton came into this one averaging just over six minutes per game across 15 appearances for the Celtics. With so many injuries across the roster, Boston was forced to lean on Scheierman, Neemias Queta, Torrey Craig and Drew Peterson. Scheierman was the best of that group, and he set a number of career highs, including points, three-pointers, assists and minutes. Don’t expect a repeat performance unless Boston is decimated with injuries again.

Scheierman got off to a slow start in his summer debut but eventually showed the tools that led to his being selected with the 30th overall pick in last month’s draft. In addition to the perimeter shooting ability, the former Creighton standout is a capable playmaker, and he finished Saturday’s loss with six assists and just one turnover. Boston’s depth on the perimeter could make it difficult for Scheierman to offer consistent fantasy value as a rookie, but the skill set is there if he can get the minutes.

What Scheierman lacks defensively, he makes up for on the offensive end. He showed elite shooting ability during his five college seasons, and he was an effective passer for a forward. As a senior for Creighton, he averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.1 triples per game. He isn’t very athletic, which limits his defensive impact, and he’ll also be 24 by the time next season starts, which isn’t appealing. Despite those red flags, he is one of the best shooters in the draft and should be ready to stretch the floor from Day 1. Boston comfortably led the NBA in three-point attempts and three-point makes, so this selection looks like a match made in heaven.