Sam Hauser has been an incredibly reliable shooter for the Celtics all season long. Entering Friday night, the sharpshooter was shooting 43.8% from distance on the season – the highest mark among any rotational player for the Celtics.
Since the New Year, he has shot 45.5% from distance, the third-best mark in the league, trailing just Grayson Allen (47.5%) and Luke Kennard (46.2%).
However, even the best shooters have their off nights, and Friday night was one such occasion for Hauser.
The 6-foot-8 wing misfired on 17 of his 18 attempts, including a dreadful 1-of-13 (0.7%) from distance. The shooting performance tied Jayson Tatum for the most misses with only one make in Celtics history. Only 12 players in NBA history have shot 1-of-18 or worse in NBA history.
Despite watching his first eight shots – all of which were good looks – rattle and roll off the rim en route to an 0-of-8 first half, Hauser kept with it. Not letting the tough shooting night break his confidence, and most importantly, not letting it affect his play on the defensive end.
“It’s just not being defined by scoring,” Joe Mazzulla said of Hauser’s impact on the game despite the rough shooting night. “It’s a credit to Sam — one, to keep shooting, and two, to not allow it to impact the rest of his game. That’s the mindset you have to have.”
Such shooting displays are extremely rare from Hauser — and never to that extent, which is why Mazzulla was encouraged by Hauser continuing to shoot the ball, even drawing comparisons to a pair of Hall of Famers.
“That’s like Brett Farve having the most interceptions and touchdowns,” Mazzulla said on Hauser tying Tatum for the worst shooting performance in team history. “Babe Ruth has the most strikeouts. That’s life.”
Before leaving the podium, Mazzulla corrected himself, noting that Reggie Jackson, another Hall of Famer, holds the record for most strikeouts. Despite his strikeouts, Jackson’s monumental achievements, including over 500 home runs, solidified his status as one of baseball’s all-time greats.
“I almost look at this like it’s a good thing. Sam is, to me, the best catch-and-shoot shooter in the league,” Payton Pritchard said postgame. “This is going to come back around. He can go 10-for-10. We’ve seen it. We got a win, and he missed as much as he did. So, if he shoots normally, this is probably a 20-point game. I think this is a good sign because that means the next couple of games, he’s gonna be on fire.”
Without Hauser, the Celtics don’t win on Friday night.
After a De’Aaron Fox go-ahead three with 27 seconds remaining in regulation, Hauser weaved through traffic looking for the answer on what would have been a go-ahead driving floater. However, Keegan Murray was there to deny his attempt.
It was his 17th miss. Hauser could have quit on the play and succumbed to the rough night, but he stuck with it. He stole the ball away from Murray and tipped it to Xavier Tillman, who drilled a floater that ended up being the decider.
Furthermore, Hauser appeared to be fouled on the drive. But rather than throwing his hands up and complaining to the officials, Hauser made a game-winning play.
“You couldn’t tell by his effort defensively that he wasn’t shooting the ball well on offense,” Mazzulla said on Hauser after the game. “He probably got pissed at himself that he missed, but that’s a huge component, is to be able to not be affected by it to where you can’t execute other parts of your job. So, I think that was really fun to see that in him.”
In the past, Sam Hauser’s reputation centered primarily on his shooting. In his increased role this year, he has proven he is far more valuable than that. The Virginia product is a legitimate three-and-D wing.
Hauser has emerged as one of the NBA's most impactful reserves. This season, he has posted a +332 plus-minus, which ranks second in the league, trailing only Pritchard. Additionally, his +13.5 net rating is top in the NBA among reserves who have played at least 50 games.
Notably, no reserve that appeared in at least 50 games last season posted a net rating north of 10.0, underscoring his significant contributions to the team’s success.
Friday’s game was a testament to Hauser’s growth and versatility, showcasing his ability to influence games in various ways. Although his shooting was off, it’s unlikely we’ll see another performance like that from Hauser anytime soon.
Expect him to bounce back strongly on Sunday against Portland.
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