‘We’re really deep’: Sam Hauser giving Celtics that splash off the bench

It’s funny how the NBA works.  Coming off an NBA Finals loss, the Boston Celtics knew they had to address their biggest flaw which was scoring off the bench.  What did they do?  They went out and traded for Malcolm Brogdon and signed Danilo Gallinari.  But it turns out they had an answer already on the team in Sam Hauser.

Let’s not pretend anyone expected the undrafted Virginia prospect to be a part of the rotation coming into the 2022-23 NBA season, but with Gallinari went down in the offseason with a likely season-ending ACL tear, an opportunity opened for the 6-foot-9 sharpshooter and boy has he taken advantage.

They say, when one door closes another door opens.  Hauser has not only stepped through that door, but he is also draining 3’s and giving the Celtics some splash off the bench that goes beyond Brogdon’s production when he is healthy.  He is doing exactly what the team expected from Gallinari except he isn’t yet proven in the league which means opposing teams aren’t exactly focused on him.

Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser has stepped up in more ways than one

Well, that should quickly change.  In the team’s blowout victory over the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night, Hauser showed off his sharpshooting by going 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, scoring 15 points and pulling down six rebounds in 27 minutes.

Impressively, he had a plus/minus of plus -35 which shows he is doing more on the court other than just standing behind the stripe shooting threes.

While the Boston Celtics love the 3, it is the other improvements in Hauser’s game that is earning him trust and more minutes on the court.

"“It’s really fun to earn the trust and respect of the coach and the ones you are playing with out there,” Hauser said after the game, as transcribed by Masslive.com.  “It’s something that takes a lot of work and you got to prove it each and every day.  I’m glad I’ve got to the level where there are times they are looking for me to get a shot up as opposed to themselves.  I’m out there to do what I do best and that’s shooting the ball and spacing the floor for these guys.  I’m just trying to do that the best I can.”"

He is doing a very good job with his shooting, which obviously helps the Celtics offensively when it comes to spacing the floor.  That really shows when he is on the court with Jayson Tatum an/or Jaylen Brown in their ability to draw defenses which allows Hauser open shots which he is knocking down with efficiency.

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Hauser is also holding his own defensively as he has carved a reliable role in a Boston Celtics bench that combined for 44 points against the Hawks without Brogdon.  It’s that depth that is really making the defending Eastern Conference champions just that much more dangerous so far this season.

"“It shows we got a really good team and we’re really deep,” Hauser continued.  “We have a lot of guys coming off the bench that can really play.  Even some guys who don’t get as many minutes, when they do get the opportunity, they’re ready for it.  The way we play, how hard we play, I think our defense is getting better each and every day.  All credit to that and I think that’s why we are rolling right now.”"

Rolling to a tune of 8 consecutive wins with some key players missing from lineup during the streak.  That success has been due to players like Sam Hauser stepping up and showing off that Celtics depth.