Funny controversy between Celtics highlights perfect night of events

As the kids scurried into a center-court huddle at the Auerbach Center on Tuesday night, Boston Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman grabbed a loose ball and lifted his eyes toward the basket on the opposite end of the floor. He casually tossed the ball through the air, sinking a half-court heave in the blink of an eye. Not even the reporters covering the event had their cameras rolling.

Scheierman looked over his shoulders at the group of media, shrugged, and re-joined the group, which was getting set to partake in their final activity of the evening.

Forty kids from the West End House in Allston gathered on the court, where Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Drew Peterson, and Neemias Queta surprised them with a 30-minute basketball clinic as a part of the Xfinity Host Surprise and Delight event.

“I feel like the biggest thing is how into it the kids are,” Walsh said after the event. “How much they like it and enjoy it. As soon as we walk in, them screaming and like the smiles on my face, I feel like that makes the biggest difference. And I feel like that's what we try to create every time we come to an event.”

Following Scheierman’s long-range bucket, the four Celtics players each picked one kid to compete with them in a challenge to see which pairing could make the most buckets in 30 seconds.

Neemias Queta cheated to win a competition??

However, it quickly devolved into a layup competition, as there were no parameters set for where the pros could shoot from. Scheierman logged 20, Peterson managed 23, and Walsh got 17, bringing up the rear. But tucked into the bunch was Queta, who drew some controversy with his 24 buckets.

“Neemi cheated,” said Walsh. “He definitely cheated.”

“Yeah, very questionable,” Peterson said. “I wish we had a review system accessible. Maybe a challenge or something.”

Scheierman even threw a flag on the play.

As they were counting down to start Queta’s timer, the Portuguese big man began his shooting motion before the word, ‘Go.’ And in a game where he only won by a single layup, that was the difference.

“I mean, I missed like two layups, so  I can't really say nothing,” Walsh admitted. “I wasn’t gonna win . But like, we gotta have a fair game. It's respect for the game. You gotta have it. It just wasn't there.”

The Queta controversy aside, all four Celtics players got to enjoy some time playing 2k (which Walsh made it a point to win) and eating pizza with the kids who showed up from the Boys and Girls Club.

And the timing could not have been more perfect, as all of them also played a big role in the Celtics’ win over the Miami Heat on Monday night.

With Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Sam Hauser all sidelined, Joe Mazzulla dug deep into his bench, playing 10 rotation players on a night where four of his regulars were absent.

Peterson logged his second-straight 25-minute game, Walsh got his second-career start, and Scheierman and Queta both played significant minutes off the pine.

“It's cool to be able to kind of establish myself a little bit here,” said Peterson. “But the big thing is, like we've been preaching, just guys staying ready and being ready to go whenever we got injuries or people go out that day and stuff like that. So, it's an awesome opportunity. I'm looking to continue to build off it. But just do whatever I can to help the team, whenever that may be.”

For a guy like Peterson, minutes are tough to come by. Before his stint against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, he hadn't logged more than 30 NBA minutes in his entire career. Yet when he stepped onto the court, he looked like a rotational NBA guy. He didn't skip a beat.

From Peterson to Queta to Luke Kornet to Sam Hauser and others, the Celtics have constantly been able to seek out hidden gems to add to the end of their roster. And it's because of how willing they are to preach a stay-ready mentality.

On a team with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and a bunch of other stars leading the way, opportunities are tough to come by. But on a night like Monday, everyone needs to be ready to roll. And that’s the identity this Celtics group has established for themselves.

Constantly being prepared to play at any time is no easy feat, especially when the players’ roles are shifting on a night-to-night basis in different cities.

“Obviously, a ton of continuity from the top down,” Peterson said of Maine vs. Boston. “But the biggest difference, obviously, is your role on any given day. When I'm there, I'm a little bit more of a primary ball-handler, and I'm a little more relied upon to do a lot more things. And when I'm here, obviously more of a complimentary role, and helping out the guys and whatever I can. 

“Last night, I really tried to rebound the ball and play defense on that end, and to be able to just knock down open shots, that's a big thing. So, a lot of continuity from both, but just the roles, obviously, are tremendously different. But the biggest thing is the travel back and forth is, obviously, a lot, but it's a good problem to have. So, I've been enjoying every second I have down here.

From the beginning of the season, Mazzulla, Maine head coach Tyler Lashbrook, and everyone else have made it a point that the Celtics are one organization. Whether it’s in Portland or Boston, the team is the same.

Winning basketball games is always the goal, and for the stay-ready guys who spend time in both places, though their roles may differ, the mentality should never waver.

Even if one place has better food than the other…

“I will say the food in Maine is better,” Walsh said. “I will say that for sure.”