Baylor Scheierman refused to sit out Sunday’s Celtics-76ers matchup despite suffering a fractured thumb. The second-year wing injured his left thumb in a collision with Brooklyn guard Egor Demin during Friday’s 148-111 victory over the Nets but remained in the game, contributing 10 points and six assists in 22 minutes. Although initially questionable, the Celtics later confirmed Scheierman would be available before the game’s tipoff at TD Garden.
Details of Scheierman’s Injury and On-Court Adjustments
During the incident, Scheierman collided with Demin and described the injury’s onset as sudden and painful.
“I mean, I just ran into (Demin),”
Scheierman said.
“He was running the other way. I thought he was going to just chase after the ball because it was up in the air, and I think my thumb just kind of went into his chest. It just hurt. I looked down, it just kind of felt weird and just locked. I was able to kind of unlock it and get it loose again, and then taped it up and just finished the game.”
As a left-handed shooter, Scheierman wore a splint on Sunday to protect the injured thumb, a new challenge for the 25-year-old. He recalled a prior thumb injury in high school that required surgery but noted this fracture was different.
“So I’ve never really played with (a splint),”
he noted.
“But I got some shots in this morning and this afternoon, and I feel ready to go.”
Team and Player Perspectives on the Injury
The Celtics are treating Scheierman’s fractured thumb as an injury manageable without surgery for now. When asked if it was simply a matter of pain tolerance, Scheierman responded,
“We’re kind of just evaluating it as it goes.”
He emphasized his determination to continue playing:
“But I feel good enough to be out there, so that’s kind of how it’s going to be. I’m not going to sit out.”
Scheierman’s recent performances have marked a turning point in his young career. After fluctuating playing time as a rookie, he transitioned to a full-time starter in early February. His last 10 games before Sunday saw averages of 8.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, with solid praise for improved defense. Since January 28, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 116 points when Scheierman was on the floor, trailing only teammate Derrick White’s plus-166 net rating. Scheierman’s plus-18.0 net rating ranks third on the team behind Neemias Queta and White.
Sam Hauser described Scheierman as
“a little bit of everything, sort of a Swiss Army knife.”
Hauser added,
“He’s been playing really well. Early in the year, it was kind of up and down whether he was going to play a lot or not, and he got thrown into the starting lineup and has made the most of it, for sure. It’s awesome to see another guy kind of work his way into rotation and have consistent minutes and play well.”
Hauser concluded,
“When you get a moment like that, you just want to make the most of it and do the best you can, and he’s done a really good job of that.”
Ongoing Absences in Celtics and 76ers Lineups
The Celtics were without star forward Jayson Tatum for the 60th straight game on Sunday, despite speculation about a possible return against Philadelphia. Tatum is progressing from Achilles surgery and remains close to rejoining the lineup, but his return timeline is uncertain. He indicated his first game back would be at home in TD Garden, ruling out participation on Monday’s road game against Milwaukee. The next anticipated opportunity to play is Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets. Boston also hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Friday before a critical three-game road trip through Cleveland, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City.
The 76ers were also missing key contributors. Joel Embiid sat out due to a right oblique strain, while Paul George continued his 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
Roster Moves and Player Development in Boston
With John Tonje’s 10-day contract ending Sunday, the Celtics quickly signed the rookie guard to a two-way contract. Tonje, acquired in the Chris Boucher trade last month, started with a two-way deal, was temporarily converted to a 10-day contract to meet the NBA’s roster minimum, and has now returned to two-way status. The 24-year-old Wisconsin product has made two brief NBA appearances, scoring his first points in Friday’s win over Brooklyn. On Sunday, Tonje started for the Maine Celtics in the G League against the Windy City Bulls.
The Celtics did not re-sign veteran guard Dalano Banton after his 10-day contract expired Saturday. The team is permitted to carry fewer than 14 standard players for up to 14 days per NBA rules, which Boston is likely to leverage to avoid surpassing the luxury tax threshold. Currently, Boston’s roster includes 12 standard-contract players—Tatum among them despite his absence—and three two-way players: Tonje, Ron Harper Jr., and rookie point guard Max Shulga.
Celtics Support Staff and Scheduling Challenges
Sunday was a hectic day for several Celtics affiliates. Amari Williams, John Tonje, and Max Shulga started Maine’s G League game in Portland at midday before traveling back to Boston for the evening NBA matchup at TD Garden. Williams noted his timely arrival at the arena, avoiding major traffic complications. The Celtics will face a quick turnaround with a Monday game against the Milwaukee Bucks set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. ET).
When asked if any regulars would rest for Monday’s game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla focused solely on the present challenge.
“Honestly, any time we’ve ever been in a situation like that, I’m really just only focused on this one,”
he said, underscoring the team’s priority to solidify competitiveness against the 76ers, who had won two of three early-season meetings.
A look at the splint Baylor Scheierman is wearing on his fractured left thumb tonight. He’s a lefty, so that’s his shooting hand. pic.twitter.com/1fcAy63wr3
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) March 1, 2026
