Sam Hauser Delivers Much-Needed Shooting Boost for Celtics

Entering the Boston Celtics’ game against the Miami Heat on Friday, Dec. 19, Sam Hauser was 0-for-11 over his previous two outings. The sharpshooting forward hasn’t reached his usual standards to begin the current season, averaging a career-low 35.9% from three-point range.

However, Hauser found his range against Erik Spoelstra’s team. He went 5-for-6 on the night, all from deep, and finished with 15 points. Hauser also chipped in with four rebounds and three assists.

During his postgame news conference, Hauser addressed his solid shooting night after breaking out of his mini-slump.

“I feel like sometimes shot making is contagious, and we’ll see a couple guys make a couple, and then you make a couple, and then it’s just like, you feed off each other’s energy,” Hauser said. “Sometimes you have quarters like that, where it’s just an explosion.”

Under Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have become one of the most prolific three-point shooting teams in the NBA. They generate a high volume of quality three-point looks. As the team’s best shooting specialist, Hauser has an important role when coming off the bench.

Seeing him find some rhythm will be an encouraging sign for the Celtics fanbase. When Hauser is knocking down his shots, both on the move and off the catch, he provides much-needed spacing to the rotation. That spacing is even more critical this season, as Boston lost significant scoring talent during the summer when Brad Stevens allowed Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford to leave the franchise.

Boston will be back in action on Saturday, when it faces the Toronto Raptors in the second night of a back-to-back. The Celtics will need Hauser’s shooting off the bench if they’re going to secure a second straight win and get back to building some momentum.