Sam Hauser’s role with the Celtics might look the same on paper, but a closer look reveals a player navigating a much tighter lane this season - and doing it with less margin for error.
Coming into the year, expectations for Hauser were pretty straightforward: keep shooting. He’s still a floor spacer, still a second-unit weapon, and his minutes only nudged up slightly (+1.2 per game).
His usage rose a tick (+1.4%), and his spot in the rotation held steady. On the surface, it’s business as usual.
But dig into the numbers, and it’s clear Hauser’s job has gotten significantly harder.
His overall scoring efficiency has taken a hit - down 11.1 points per 100 shot attempts - and that drop isn’t just about a cold streak. His two-point percentage has dropped by 17.4%, and his three-point shooting has dipped by 2.7%. Sure, those numbers might scream “regression” at first glance, but there’s more going on here than a shooter in a slump.
The real story is where those shots are coming from.
Hauser’s shot profile has shifted dramatically. He’s taking far fewer corner threes - down 11% - and replacing them with non-corner threes, which are up by 14%.
That’s a big deal. Corner threes are shorter, often more open, and typically created through ball movement.
Non-corner threes? They’re longer, tougher, and usually come with a defender a step closer.
In other words, Hauser’s job as a shooter has gotten harder.
That shift is also showing up in how his looks are being generated. While the overall percentage of his assisted field goals has stayed flat, the types of assists he’s getting have changed.
Assisted finishes at the rim are down by a whopping 33%, while assisted midrange shots are up 18%. That’s a sign of a player who’s not getting the same easy looks off cuts or backdoor actions.
Instead, he’s catching the ball in tighter spaces and often settling for midrange shots - a tough trade-off in today’s efficiency-driven NBA.
There’s also been a slight uptick in his pull-up attempts, while his drives have dipped. That suggests Hauser is being forced to create a bit more on his own, especially when defenders close out harder and the spacing isn’t quite there. It’s not that he’s suddenly a creator, but he’s having to do more with less - and that’s showing in the numbers.
Defensively, Hauser has held his ground. His block rate has improved slightly, and there’s no indication that his defensive responsibilities have shrunk.
Like Payton Pritchard, he’s being targeted more often - a natural byproduct of playing more minutes - but he’s holding up. He’s still giving effort, still rotating, still doing the little things that don’t always show up in the box score.
So what’s really changed for Hauser? Not the role, not the minutes, not the label.
It’s the conditions. He’s still a shooter, but now he’s shooting under tougher circumstances - fewer clean looks, more contested ones, and less space to operate.
It’s the same jersey, same job title, but the day-to-day grind looks a whole lot different.
Hauser’s evolution this season is a reminder that roles don’t have to change dramatically for a player’s experience to shift. Sometimes, the game just gets harder - and the best players find ways to adapt.