Sam Hauser had a historic night in a 114-108 Boston Celtics win over the Utah Jazz. Hauser made a career-high nine three-pointers for a career-high 33 points. It was a sight to behold in the TD Garden as Hauser was the game’s leading scorer. Even with Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford out, that was an outcome no one expected. His historical shooting set a new Celtics record for three-pointers made in a quarter. He knocked down a whopping seven threes in the third quarter, helping Boston to their fifth win in a row.
Sam Hauser’s Hot Shooting
Hauser’s third quarter is the one that Celtics fans will remember, but it followed a quiet first half. Multiple players were out, including Tatum and Porzingis. In their absence, Hauser was inserted into the starting lineup. This has happened before this season, but other players have typically stepped up. With Tatum out, Jaylen Brown would typically be the one to take charge, and he did so in this game. Also, when Tatum was out against the Trailblazers, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White each scored over 40 points. Hauser was the one to step in against the Jazz but didn’t heat up until the second half.
In the first half, he shot 1-of-6 from three and scored 5 points, but everything changed in the third quarter. Boston led by six at halftime, but Hauser started the quarter by nailing back-to-back three-pointers. It was encouraging to see him make a couple after a cold first half. Then he made two more. He was hot, and the defense began to give him more attention. He was also more confident, taking shots off the dribble and stepping back, doing more than the typical catch-and-shoot. By the end of the third quarter, Hauser had made a Celtics record seven three-pointers. He scored 23 points in the quarter.
His explosive third quarter gave Boston a 21-point lead they nearly blew. Utah stormed back in the fourth quarter, tying the game in the final minutes. Hauser came through again, knocking down his ninth three-pointer to extend the Celtics lead and secure the 114-108 victory.
A Season On the Upswing
Hauser’s 33-point performance is a career-high. It was an electrifying game, showing that the sharpshooter can heat up at any time. He had a cold first half, but a monster third quarter changed all of that. A player with a shot like him should not be afraid to let it fly. This game should be great for his confidence moving forward, especially with his prior struggles this season.
He has dealt with injury concerns throughout the season, mainly in his back. This caused a slump in the first half of the year as he worked his way back to full health. His three-point percentages were down from previous years and his defense has been a liability against good teams. But, with good shooters, things tend to level out, and if this performance is any indication, Hauser is returning to form. He will not score 30 points every night, but if he can keep shooting well, it could go a long way for the defending champions.
Final Thoughts
The Celtics improved to 47-18 with their win over the Jazz, in large part due to Hauser’s contributions. He scored a career-high 33 points with nine three-pointers, and set a Celtics record with seven threes in the third quarter. He swayed the momentum of the game guiding Boston to their fifth straight win. Now, they will hope that Hauser’s hot shooting can continue throughout the season.
