Sam Hauser scores 15 as Celtics bench comes alive in victory over Nets

In October, Sam Hauser shot 20% from three, nicely under his profession common of 42%. However after a number of uncharacteristic video games, these early-season struggles have rapidly dissipated.

In November, Hauser’s three-point capturing share has skyrocketed as much as 53.1%, a lot nearer to his norm. He’s hit 17 of his final 31 three-pointers and is rapidly solidifying his spot among the many Celtics high reserves.

Final night time, in a 121-107 In-Season Match win over the Brooklyn Nets, Hauser completed with 15 factors on 5-10 capturing to associate with two rebounds and an help.

Hauser was the early favourite for the back-up wing spot heading into the season, however offseason signings like Svi Mykhailiuk and Lamar Stevens threatened to not less than make issues fascinating.

Now, as his capturing contact has returned and his all-around play stays strong, Hauser appears destined to proceed being one of many Celtics’ necessary rotation gamers.

The reserves have carried out a little bit little bit of every part

Joe Mazzulla was by no means fearful concerning the manufacturing of his bench unit — not about Hauser, the three-point marksman who carved an actual position as a backup ahead on the group final season after going undrafted in 2021.

Nor was Mazzulla fearful about back-up level guard Payton Pritchard, who signed a four-year, $30 million extension within the offseason, and is normally the one setting Hauser up for a clear look. Pritchard is capturing simply 23.5% from the sphere to date this season and a very uncharacteristic 15% from three.

“I by no means lose confidence in them due to the work they put in,” Joe Mazzulla stated of his reserves after the sport.

Thus far this season, Sam Hauser has been the Celtics main scorer off the bench, averaging 9 factors and three rebounds per sport. No different bench participant is averaging greater than 5 factors a sport — Al Horford is averaging 5 and Pritchard is averaging 4.4.

On the similar time, Hauser, who was as soon as perceived as a defensive legal responsibility, has the second-best defensive score on the group (106.7), second solely to Jayson Tatum. Whereas groups usually attempt to goal Hauser defensively, he normally holds his personal fairly nicely, as a substitute throwing off opponents’ offensive rhythm.

“It’s straightforward to take a look at the scoring and say, ‘they’re not producing’ however there’s a lot different stuff they do every day,” Mazzulla stated. “Our protection has been large with them on the ground, and tonight we bought to see the opposite facet of that.”

On Friday night time, offensive rebounds had been the secret for the Celtics bench. Luke Kornet (6 offensive rebounds) and Payton Pritchard (4) mixed for extra offensive boards than the complete Nets group (9). These are career-high numbers for each reserves.

Payton Pritchard bounces again

On the similar time, Payton Pritchard was lastly in a position to get some factors on the board. He completed with 13 factors and three assists after going 0-11 from the sphere within the earlier three video games mixed.

“Joe got here to me and stated ‘you’re going to proceed to play, you retain impacting profitable in different areas, and that’s all that issues,’” Pritchard stated.

Pritchard didn’t utterly get away of his capturing struggles, ending 2-7 from three on the night time. However, the pair he did sink might assist him going ahead.

“So far as capturing goes, I simply went via a stretch the place I wasn’t making photographs,” Pritchard stated. “It occurs. It’s occurred a few instances in my profession, in faculty and stuff. Taking pictures simply comes and goes. I’m certain I’ll get it again.”

On the similar time, assurances from his coach that he’ll proceed to see the courts has helped him keep optimistic and contribute in different methods.

“These slumps on the finish of the day pays dividends and can make me a greater participant total,” Pritchard stated. “I’m not hitting photographs, so these final couple of video games I needed to discover different methods to affect, to be an all-around participant and never only a shooter. It’s a part of the sport.”

Luke Kornet completed with seven factors, an help, and a block, most notably changing on this crowd-energizing alley-oop from Derrick White.

On the finish of the day, the sport wasn’t received by the Celtics bench.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown mixed for 51 factors. Jrue Vacation completed one help in need of a triple double. Kristaps Porzingis took simply 4 photographs however dominated the matchup defensively.

However the trio of Hauser, Pritchard, and Kornet had their finest collective sport of the season. Hauser has now hit not less than 3 three-pointers in three consecutive video games. Pritchard is changing into one of many high offensive-rebounding guards within the league (not less than if we’re assessing that stat proportional to top). Kornet is reminding critics why he was in a position to carve out such a constant back-up heart position final season.

And, most significantly, the Celtics got here out on high of their first-ever In Season Match sport.