How Two Young Celtics Sparked a Comeback-and a Brotherhood
BOSTON - On the surface, Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez don’t look like a natural pairing. One’s a 25-year-old from Nebraska, the other a 19-year-old from Madrid.
Different backgrounds, different paths to the NBA. But inside the Celtics locker room, they’ve clicked in a way that’s hard to miss-and on Monday night, that chemistry translated into one of Boston’s most improbable wins of the season.
With the Celtics trailing the Indiana Pacers by 20 early in the third quarter, head coach Joe Mazzulla made a bold move. He pulled four starters-Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Neemias Queta-and turned to his bench. In came Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez.
The result? A spark.
Then a fire. That second unit cut the deficit in half, shifting the momentum just enough for Jaylen Brown to take over down the stretch.
Brown dropped 18 of his 31 points in the final 13 minutes, and the Celtics walked away with a gritty 103-95 win.
Now, if you’re scanning the box score, you might miss what Scheierman and Gonzalez brought to the table. Gonzalez finished with six points, Scheierman with just three. But the impact went far beyond the numbers.
In that pivotal third quarter, both rookies drew offensive fouls-momentum-swinging plays that don’t always show up in highlight reels but change the tenor of a game. Scheierman locked in defensively on Andrew Nembhard and knocked down a transition three.
Gonzalez was a force on the glass and added a block to his stat line. And every time the Celtics chipped away at the lead, the two celebrated like they’d just won a playoff series-because in that moment, they were doing it together.
“We’ve been really, really great friends,” Gonzalez said after the win. “Obviously, I’m super, super happy when he steps on the court and he changes the game for us.”
Gonzalez played the entire second half, logging a career-high 37 minutes and pulling down 11 rebounds. Scheierman played 12 minutes total-nine of them in that crucial third quarter stretch. But his fingerprints were all over the comeback.
“He’s just been incredible-today’s game was a lot on his shoulders,” Gonzalez said of Scheierman. “He didn’t play in the first half, but came in and made a difference. It’s not the first time he’s done that.”
Scheierman and Gonzalez may technically be competing for minutes-Gonzalez is averaging 14.2 per game this season, Scheierman 11.6-but you’d never know it from how they support each other. There’s no jealousy, no ego. Just mutual respect and a shared love for the game.
Both have been efficient from deep-Gonzalez is shooting 41.4% from three, Scheierman 42.9%-and both have shown a knack for the little things: drawing charges, creating deflections, making hustle plays that swing possessions.
They also happen to be Brad Stevens’ only two first-round picks since he took over as GM. And while their minutes may fluctuate, their bond doesn’t.
“He’s just always happy when I play good,” Gonzalez said.
That off-court connection has produced some memorable moments. After a recent win over the Pistons, Gonzalez crashed Scheierman’s postgame interview, pretending to be a reporter by sticking his sneaker insole out like a microphone. He even whispered to a real reporter to ask who’s better at NBA2K-then burst into laughter when the question actually got asked.
On that night, it was Scheierman who shined with 13 points in 30 minutes, while Gonzalez played just seven. Flip the script, and it’s Gonzalez getting the minutes while Scheierman cheers from the bench. The roles change, but the energy stays the same.
And when they do share the floor? The results speak for themselves.
In just 80 minutes together this season, lineups featuring both Scheierman and Gonzalez have posted a +17.5 net rating, according to NBA data. That’s not just good-it’s a sign that this duo knows how to play off each other in ways that elevate everyone around them.
Saturday night’s win over the Raptors was another example. Scheierman, who had barely seen the floor, started the fourth quarter and immediately made an impact-two steals, including one that led to a no-look pass to Gonzalez for a layup. It was a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but it showed the kind of chemistry that’s hard to teach.
Mazzulla has praised Scheierman for his readiness, no matter how many-or how few-minutes he gets.
“He works really hard, so he’s always prepared,” Mazzulla said. “His confidence never wavers-whether he plays well or makes a mistake, he believes he can impact winning. That helps a lot.”
Scheierman had similar words for Gonzalez: “He comes in and just plays hard. He brings a lot of energy.”
Their friendship started back in July during Summer League in Las Vegas. Gonzalez had just been drafted.
Scheierman was coming off a rookie year spent mostly in the G League. But they clicked right away.
Now, their lockers are side by side. They talk constantly.
They give each other feedback. And they genuinely enjoy seeing the other succeed.
On Monday night, that bond helped fuel the Celtics’ biggest comeback of the season-and their third straight win. As the final buzzer sounded, the two walked off the court grinning, knowing they’d made a difference.
Winning always feels good. But it hits a little different when you do it with your best friend.
“Whenever the other is playing good, we’re really happy for each other,” Gonzalez said.
That’s not just good chemistry. That’s culture. And for the Celtics, it’s paying off in more ways than one.