Superstar players are essential to winning an NBA title, perhaps more than in any other major North American sports league. But that doesn’t mean role players don’t make a huge difference on the road to a championship.
Role players have the ability to swing a game in your favor, and sometimes even an entire series.
Celtics playoff history is full of examples.
Glenn McDonald played a pivotal role in the triple-overtime Game 5 classic against the Phoenix Suns in the 1976 NBA Finals. Leon Powe dominated the Lakers with 21 points in Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals. James Posey hit a couple huge 3-pointers in Boston’s historic comeback win over the Lakers in Game 4 of the 2008 Finals. Sam Hauser shot 47.8 percent on 3-pointers in the 2024 NBA Finals win over the Mavericks.
Who could be the 2026 role player who steps up in a few key moments during the playoffs?
One of the top candidates is Baylor Scheierman.
Scheierman has taken a huge step forward in his development this season as a second-year player. One of the best examples came in Sunday’s regular season finale, when he led the Celtics to an exciting win over the Orlando Magic with a career-high 37 points, along with seven rebounds and seven assists.
The last game of the season often produces some funny stat lines, especially if one or both teams involved don’t need to win. But Scheierman’s recent surge isn’t just one game. He also shined Thursday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden with 20 points on 6-for-7 shooting on 3-pointers.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Scheierman told reporters after Sunday’s win when asked what the last five or so days have been like for him. “I’ve got a lot of internal confidence in myself. … I don’t really weigh too much on a single game regardless if it goes well or bad.
“I’m super excited and super proud of the effort we put out as a team tonight and super proud of myself. Now we move on and get ready for the best time of the year, which is the playoffs.”
Since the All-Star break, Scheierman has taken advantage of an increased role. He has more than doubled his points per game and is shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range. And it’s not like Scheierman is just dining out on wide open 3-pointers. He’s capable of creating his own shot off the dribble and making contested 3-point shots. He shot 4-for-9 on 3-pointers this season when the nearest defender was in tight coverage, which the league defines as two-to-four feet of space.
He’s also been close to automatic from the free throw line since the All-Star break, while contributing as a rebounder and passer. A fractured thumb suffered against the Nets on Feb. 27 has not slowed down Scheierman one bit.
Scheierman’s ability to get hot from 3-point range could be pretty valuable in the playoffs, especially when you look at which teams the C’s might play in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics’ first-round opponent will be the winner of the Magic vs. 76ers play-in tournament game Wednesday night.
The Magic, despite what they showed Sunday, had the third-best 3-point defense since the All-Star break. The Sixers ranked 11th in 3-point defense during that span. The Detroit Pistons, who could be an Eastern Conference Finals opponent for the C’s if they make it that far, had the fourth-best 3-point defense post All-Star break.
Outside shooting could make or break the Celtics’ chances of making a title run. Scheierman should be able to give the Celtics a boost in that area as the team’s leader in 3-point percentage (among players with two or more attempts per game), but it’s not the only place where he makes a positive impact. He has tallied six-plus assists and/or rebounds eight times in the last 23 games. He’s also not a bad defender and brings tremendous energy to the court.
The Celtics obviously will need their best players to perform at a high level to win Banner 19 this spring, but they can’t do it alone. There will be moments when role players are thrust into the fire and will need to execute.
Whether it’s Payton Pritchard, Luka Garza, Nikola Vucevic, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Scheierman, or someone else, one of the strengths of this Celtics team is its depth.
Scheierman is playing with a ton of confidence right now, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he carries his impressive production from late in the regular season into the playoffs.