The Boston Celtics have reached the “coming up with new nicknames and waiting around for the playoffs” portion of their season.
Boston entered its Wednesday matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers at 44-18, just percentage points behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The C’s have been far from perfect lately, but it seems as though we already know everything about them before the games really start to count.
So, while we wait for that, it appears now is the time for some team bonding down the stretch. At the forefront of that bonding? Robert Williams III and Sam Hauser.
“Sam’s new nickname is ‘Tax ‘Em,’ ” Williams III said, per NBC Sports Boston video. “Whenever he shoots a three I say ‘Tax ‘Em’ because Uncle Sam. You know, taxing ’em. I’m trying to get it to stick a little bit.”
You heard the man. Williams III wants you to help Hauser’s new nickname stick as the Celtics head into the postseason.
Boston is hoping Hauser can stick in the rotation, as they’ve adopted the mentality of living and dying by the three. An off-shooting night, like the one they had in Monday’s loss to the New York Knicks, can be devastating. On the flip side, they’ve also had night where they’ve made 26 shots from beyond-the-arc on nearly 50% shooting.
Hauser could be the key in helping the Celtics become less streaky from three, as he’s recently broken out of a slump of his own. The 25-year-old is back over 40% shooting from 3-point range this season, and had a five-game stretch to start February where he surpassed the double-digit scoring mark in all five contests.
The young sharpshooter has yet to tax some minutes out of Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, but could in the coming weeks.
