Hoos in the NBA: Sam Hauser Playing a Critical Role for Boston Celtics
The 2023-24 Boston Celtics have the best starting lineup in the NBA: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Throw in the ageless Al Horford and their top six is unmatched in recent NBA annals.
And the Celtics paid a pretty price to get that lineup. They let the versatile Grant Williams go, one of the few men in the NBA who can defend Giannis Antetokounmpo one on one. The Celtics then traded Malcolm Brogdon, a former Rookie of the Year and last year’s Sixth Man of the Year, Marcus Smart, a Defensive Player of the Year and the team’s heartbeat, and Robert Williams, AKA The Time Lord, a fan favorite. On top of that, the Celts gave Jaylen Brown the biggest contract in NBA history. Boston is all in this year, having cashed in all their chips to bring home an NBA-record 18th banner. There is very little left in the way of cash or draft assets to bolster the bench behind the Big Six.
Enter Sam Hauser. He’s been in Boston since leaving Virginia in 2021, having signed a two-way contract and shuttling between the first team and their G League affiliate. That first year he had a simple remit: hit the long ball and not be a black hole on defense. Grant Williams was really astounding two years ago and got the regular burn at the small forward slot. Celtics insiders felt that the Williams’ burgeoning notoriety/success and the pressure of playing for a big contract got into Williams’ head last season and Hauser supplanted him. Hauser averaged 16 minutes/game and 6.5 points while shooting 42% from three and 66% from two.
The supposed knock on Hauser was that he was a substandard defender and lacking the bounce to defend the wing and in the block. That couldn’t be farther from the truth as Hauser was actually the second most efficient defender on the Celtics last year, slotting only behind Robert Williams, who when healthy, is Ryan Dunn on steroids.
This year? The bench depth is pretty much Hauser and Peyton Pritchard, both of whom signed new guaranteed contracts in the off season. Pritchard is himself a sharpshooter who is very much on the short side. He’s struggling out of the gate this young season.
Which leaves Hauser. His first three games were unremarkable as he went 3/15 from deep. That’s the job of a three-and-D wing: hit from deep. In the eight games in November, Hauser has been on fire. Since then he’s been 25/46 from long range. If you have to see that as a percentage, here it is: 54%. If we want to be less gaudy, and look at the entire season, Hauser is connecting at 47.5% which is the highest rate of any player who has attempted at least 50 threes. You know who is in second? Steph Curry.
Looking beyond this season, there have been 756 players who have taken 400+ threes since the 1996-97 season. Hauser sits 11th in terms of percentage! Hard to believe this kid was undrafted. (No, it’s not actually. NBA talent scouts notoriously discount production and maturity in favor of athleticism or potential. But that’s another story.)
Hauser is also posting career highs in both rebounds and steals, though that might just be a result of him getting much more playing time in November.
Eye-popping numbers to be sure, but in the NBA, you have to be able to defend. That is, if you want to win. Milwaukee is learning that the hard way. For as great as Damian Lillard is, he doesn't defend. James Harden doesn’t either. Probably the biggest reason neither of them has sniffed a ring.
But Hauser got two years playing for Tony Bennett – one year red-shirting and one starting – and you know that any guy who touches the hardwood will give consistent effort on the court. That, and they can move their feet. As the tweet below shows, hunt Hauser at your own risk. According to NBA Stats, Hauser is in the top 10 in isolation defense and opponents are shooting just 33% against him. This man can play D. And he could very well earn a ring this summer.
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