Celtics sharpshooter aiming to find a balance that many don't

Boston Celtics wing Baylor Scheierman could spend Summer League trying to showcase what's in his bag. He could be a ball-dominant player who's more concerned with his scoring output than team success. But that's not him.

He has emphasized that his focus is on making the right play, whatever that calls for, consistently. Now in his second stint in Las Vegas, Scheierman is focused on honing his craft in a setting filled with players who, unlike him, won't be on NBA rosters on opening night.

That can create the temptation to take on a Jayson Tatum-like role. Instead, he's using it to continue mastering the one he'll have in Boston this season. But the second-year wing also wants to grow his game.

When asked about balancing the two, Scheierman shard with Hardwood Houdini, "The coaches encourage me to try to continue to improve my game, but then also understand that it is a balance between doing stuff that maybe I won't do a lot in Boston and then sticking to the stuff that I will do."

Scheierman showcases all-around game in Celtics' win vs. Knicks

Sunday at Cox Pavilion, the Celtics earned a 94-81 win over the New York Knicks.

As Boston improved to 2-0, Scheierman struggled to find his rhythm as a shooter. He finished 6/15 from the field, including 1/7 from beyond the arc. However, that didn't stop him from nearly registering a triple-double.

The former Creighton star shrugged off each miss. He refused to let it detract from his focus or defensive output. Commendably, he didn't shy away from shots or force them in search of seeing one go through the net, either.

"I don't say I move on instantly, but it's something that I've gotten better at as time's gone on," said Scheierman post-game. "Like I said yesterday, just try to impact the game in every area. And, obviously, I can't control if shots are going in, like, I'm shooting to make it, I'm not shooting to miss.

"So, obviously, I didn't shoot it well again today, from three, but [I] impacted the game in a lot of different areas. [I] had three steals, a couple [of] offensive fouls. So, like I said, just being able to impact the game in whatever ways necessary, I think, is a good trait to have, especially when you're with the big club to stay on the floor."

That mentality, sticking to his agenda of making the right play repeatedly, led to him nearly registering a triple-double. Scheierman dished out eight assists, snagged eight rebounds, and swiped the three steals he mentioned.

It was a microcosm of what helped things click for him as his rookie season progressed. Now he enters a situation that doesn't resemble his first year in the NBA. The Celtics will call on him to step into a larger role. What Sunday in Sin City reinforced is that he has the maturity and skill set to be ready for what awaits him.