As the Boston Celtics closed out the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, Sam Hauser showcased a move rarely seen from the veteran sharpshooter.
Hauser used a Neemias Queta screen to cut to the left corner, caught a cross-court inbound from Derrick White, pump-faked, spun right, and sank a mid-range jumper over Indiana’s Pascal Siakam. The oohs and ahhs came pouring in from TD Garden while Hauser played it off cool. Not because he didn’t expect it, but because he’s been expanding his offensive repertoire
beyond the 3-point line.
“I know I’m capable of doing other things than shooting a three,” Hauser told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “(Shooting) is just what I’m asked to do the most, and that’s how I started to get on the floor in Boston. I tried to run with that and become as great of a shooter as I can each and every day, while also building off of it — because the next phase to a shot is a shot fake and a drive.”
Typically, most of Hauser’s field goal attempts have come from beyond the arc. On Saturday night against the Atlanta Hawks, Hauser set the NBA’s all-time record for most 3-pointers attempted (21) without a single 2-pointer, falling one short of Boston’s franchise record of 11 makes. Eight times this season — including Wednesday night’s 119-104 win over Indiana — Hauser has drained five or more threes, with the Celtics going 7-1 during those performances. But that’s just part of what he’s honed to improve his compatibility with Boston’s offense this season.
To make sure the Celtics can get the most out of him on that end of the floor, Hauser is working to master that “next phase” and increase the difficulty of defending Boston’s movement-heavy offense.
With nine seconds on the shot clock, it’s easy to misread Hauser’s pull-up mid-range jumper as experimental rather than a skill he’s genuinely looking to add. However, he intends to normalize it from time to time, even if it’s antithetical to the typical role for his archetype.
“I know I’m capable of it, and when it presents itself, I try to take advantage,” Hauser told reporters.
Hauser made his 14th start in 42 appearances this season, playing alongside Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, White, and Queta. That combination has logged 21 games together, producing a 129.8 offensive rating and a 109.4 defensive rating — both higher than Boston’s season averages — while shooting 61.2% on effective field goals, which clears the league average.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, even without the numbers in front of him, has taken note of how effectively that rotation has performed and what Hauser adds to it.
“Sam’s ability to play two-way basketball and defend at a high level allows us to spread the floor and play a little offensively,” Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “We have to be able to go to a bunch of different lineups, but that one is playing well so far.”
In adapting to the 2025-26 version of Mazzulla’s offense, Hauser has had to bring more to the table. Rather than lingering on the perimeter, he’s constantly in motion — making cuts, navigating off-ball screens, and doing all the little things that usually go unnoticed to hunt the most efficient looks, even when he’s not the one taking the shot.
“It’s not just the shot-making,” Mazzulla told reporters. “It’s the ability to make 2-on-1s, get defenders to overreact, and not leave his body. So the shooting is important, but so are the screening and spacing, which help him and also help the team.”
Hauser’s unexpected choice to pass up the three and pull up for a mid-range jumper over Siakam came directly from Boston’s offensive principles. Five of his six made shots Wednesday night came off space created by either Queta or Luka Garza, and none were traditional pick-and-rolls with Hauser handling the ball. Each shot was assisted by premier playmakers like Brown, White, and Anfernee Simons, who worked off screens while Hauser cut to openings, ready to catch and fire.
It’s a scheme that keeps everyone in constant motion, fully engaged, and contributing even without touching the ball — and Hauser is a critical component.
“It starts with Neemi setting a great screen, and sometimes it’s hard when they’re pressuring like that,” Hauser told reporters. “But we have such dynamic ball-handlers that they’re able to create an advantage even when the screen is not even there, which makes it easier to get on the back-end of the play, get open, and get to space. You just have to adjust and take what the defense gives you in the moment if they’re switching up the coverage.”
The start of the new year has been excellent for Hauser, thanks in large part to his ability to mesh with Boston’s offensive system. Since Jan. 1, he’s shooting 52% from the field and 48.2% from three, averaging 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. This version of Hauser may have been born out of necessity, given Boston’s shorthanded roster without Jayson Tatum. Still, it’s an upgrade that has allowed him to flourish and showcase a 2.0 version of his game that wasn’t visible in previous years.
Hauser’s 17 points against the Pacers extended his streak to four consecutive games with 15-plus points.
“Sam has been great,” Brown told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “Sam has developed as a basketball player. He’s had a couple of plays this year where he’s run off the line, put the ball on the ground, and get to a mid-range or sneak a layup in. So we just got to keep encouraging that.”
