Sam Hauser’s Resurgence Has the Celtics Clicking - And the Numbers Back It Up
BOSTON - Sam Hauser has never been just a shooter. Ask anyone in the Celtics locker room and they'll tell you - his value goes beyond the arc. Whether it’s his defensive positioning, off-ball movement, or the gravity he creates just by standing in the corner, Hauser has carved out a role in Boston that’s deeper than a three-point percentage.
But make no mistake - that three-point stroke is still his calling card.
“I know I’m capable of doing other things other than shooting a three,” Hauser said. “It’s just what I’m asked to do the most… and then also building off that, which the next phase to a shot is a shot fake and a drive. So I know I’m capable of it, and when it presents itself, I try to take advantage.”
And lately, he’s been taking full advantage. Hauser’s recent tear from deep has been nothing short of electric.
He came within one make of tying Marcus Smart’s franchise record for threes in a game, falling short only after missing six straight following a blistering 10-for-15 start in Atlanta. Strip away that cold stretch, and Hauser had hit 41 of his first 79 threes this month - a scorching 51.9% clip.
That kind of shooting doesn’t just put points on the board - it warps defenses. And the Celtics have leaned into that.
Hauser has become more than a floor spacer. He’s screening, cutting, and making quick reads when defenders overplay him.
The result? Boston leads the league in offensive efficiency this month, putting up 121.9 points per 100 possessions.
On the season, they’re just a hair behind Denver for the top spot overall.
Hauser’s hot hand and two-way play earned him a return to the starting lineup after a 5-for-7 performance in Sacramento, replacing rookie Jordan Walsh in the second half. It was a bold call from head coach Joe Mazzulla. Walsh had started 20 games, with Boston going 15-5 in those contests, and his defense had become a key piece of the rotation.
But Mazzulla saw something brewing.
“We only went to it for two games. So it’s probably a small sample size on that,” Mazzulla said.
“To me, I just think they’re playing well. I think our defense has gotten better, I think our offensive execution has gotten better.
I think Sam’s ability to continue to play two-way basketball, his ability to defend at a high level… it allows us to spread the floor and play a little bit offensively.”
The numbers support the move. Since Hauser returned to the starting five, the Celtics have won six of nine.
That group now boasts a +20.5 net rating, with a blistering 129.8 offensive rating - 11.4 points better per 100 possessions than the Walsh-led lineup. Even more surprising?
The Hauser unit is rebounding better too, grabbing defensive boards at a 70.8% clip, 5.1 percentage points higher than the Walsh group.
That’s the kind of production you can’t ignore - and right now, it’s hard to imagine anyone else holding that fifth starter spot. Among lineups with at least 134 minutes together this season, only Denver’s Nikola Jokić-led unit has a better net rating.
Hauser credits the team’s growth and chemistry as a turning point.
“When I got back to starting, we were like 35 games in and we figured out our identity and who we were going to be this year,” he said. “That first week or two of the season, we were just trying to figure it out… and now, by this time of the season, everybody realizes how they can help this team in the best way possible.”
To his credit, Walsh hasn’t let the change derail his development. He embraced the move to the bench as a challenge, not a setback.
His first game back with the second unit? A 13-point, 13-rebound performance in Los Angeles - his best statistical showing of the season.
The Celtics are getting the best version of both players right now, and that’s a win in any rotation.
Earlier in the year, Hauser’s future in Boston wasn’t quite as clear. A slow shooting start and the team’s tax situation led to some tough decisions, including moving Georges Niang to clear space. But Hauser stayed the course, and now, back at his career average of 40% from deep, it’s clear that rough patch was just that - a patch.
And perhaps more importantly, he never let the benching define him.
“I don’t really care if I start or come off the bench,” Hauser said last week in Miami. “It doesn’t really matter to me, to be honest with you.”
That mindset - paired with his resurgence - is exactly why Hauser’s role has grown. He’s not just fitting in with Boston’s best lineups. He’s helping drive them.