Avoiding an 0-2 hole to start the season won’t be easy, but Boston guard Baylor Scheierman is dropping the blueprint on how to handle the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks. Ahead of what will be his ninth regular season collision with the Knicks, Scheierman didn’t mince words after Celtics practice on Friday, October 23, explaining exactly what it takes to beat the best in the league.
The Long Game Against the Champs
Scheierman, now in his third NBA season since being drafted 30th overall in 2024, knows the Knicks inside and out. He has faced them 8 times in the regular season and battled through a brutal 6-game postseason series. This isn’t just a regular game for him, it is a history lesson. And his biggest takeaway, the core of how to beat them? “It comes down to the discipline of guarding for 24 seconds,” he told CLNS Media. He knows the Knicks like to push the tempo, but if that quick strike isn’t there, they’ll grind it out and “really works the box.” That’s where Boston’s discipline comes in, needing to stay consistent throughout the entire possession and, just as crucially, “finishing possessions with rebounds.” If you give the champs second chances, you’re asking for trouble.
Brunson and Towns: The Ultimate Test of Discipline
Scheierman pinpointed New York’s two biggest stars, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, as the absolute key challenges Boston has to overcome. These guys aren’t just good, they are elite. “One, they’re tough shot makers,” he said, and you see it every night. But it’s more than just their scoring ability. “And then two, they play well off of each other and you have to be disciplined because they’re looking for any sort of angle they can get on you.” Brunson and Towns are masters of playing downhill, using shot fakes, and leveraging their two-foot stops to gain an advantage. It’s a constant mental and physical battle, demanding “a lot of discipline” to deny them those angles and force them into uncomfortable positions.
This upcoming game isn’t just another early-season matchup. Boston needs to find every ounce of discipline they can muster to avoid falling into an 0-2 deficit. They stumbled on Opening Night against the Detroit Pistons due to some late-game issues. If they can clean that up and truly embrace Scheierman’s 24-second defensive mantra, they have a real shot at evening their record and making a statement against the reigning champions. The stage is set for a Friday night showdown.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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