3 Dark Horse Celtics Who Can Decide the NBA Finals

What does it take to win a championship?

Some would say star power, some would say depth, others would say defense. There are a million answers, and none of them are necessarily true; at the end of the day, it’s up to the players on the floor. Fifteen guys on each team will determine who hoists the Larry O’Brien and who ends their season disappointed.

And, within those 15, there are some more likely than others to control the outcome of a series. Stars such as Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic will have an outsized impact; such is the nature of basketball. However, everyone who sees the court will have an opportunity to make an impact, and one or two breakout games can easily flip a series.

Without further ado, here are three dark horse Celtics who can decide the NBA Finals.

Sam Hauser

It’s not groundbreaking analysis to say the Celtics live and die by the three-point shot. They shoot the highest volume, make the highest percentage, and every rotational player barring Luke Kornet can shoot from everywhere beyond the arc. Boston shoots over 40% from deep in wins; in losses, that mark is slashed to a touch above 32%. Essentially, a good deal of the Celtics’ success stems from their ability to generate, and convert, open three-point looks.

This is where Sam Hauser steps in. The third-year swingman was Boston’s best shooter throughout the regular season, canning two-and-a-half triples per game at a 42.4% clip. His play was recognized with the heaviest workload he’s seen in his career, playing 22 minutes a night and earning 13 starts along the way.

Hauser, not known for his fleet-footedness (to put it lightly) even improved his much-maligned defense to the point where he was often seen holding his own in isolation against some of the league’s stars.

Unfortunately for Sam, the postseason has proved a different challenge thus far. Even without Porzingis, his minutes have plummeted (14.6 per) and his other numbers have followed suit. The prolific shooter is hitting just 33% of his outside shots, scoring just 4.4 points per game, and he’s returned to looking rather shaky on the defensive end, often drawing ire (and a subsequent substitution) from coach Joe Mazzulla. 

Nonetheless, Hauser has the talent to flip this series. Yes, he hasn’t shot well in these Playoffs, but one look at his track record tells you he’s liable to snap out of his slump at any minute. Additionally, when Hauser gets hot, he gets hot: the UVA product shot over 46% from deep in three different months this season. If he can regain any semblance of his regular-season form, he becomes another weapon in Boston’s arsenal, and his floor-stretching ability will give the Celtics’ stars even more room to work.