The Celtics‘ confidence in Sam Hauser was rewarded Sunday when he poured in 20 points while making his third career start, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Boston could have sought a replacement for Hauser or moved him out of town before the trade deadline, but the organization opted to stick with the second-year forward despite a prolonged shooting slump.
Injuries to other rotation members have given Hauser expanded playing time lately, and he’s capitalizing on the opportunity. Over the past three games, he is shooting 57% from three-point range and averaging 15.3 PPG.
“I know I’m starting because guys are out,” Hauser said. “I get that. But it definitely — it’s definitely really cool for me, personally. You dream of stuff like this when you grow up, being on an NBA team, starting on an NBA team, let alone and it’s kind of happening right now, which is kind of cool. So, personally, it’s pretty cool. Definitely, I’m seeing a little more minutes right now, which is great, too, for confidence-boosting. And some shots are going through and overall just feeling great.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Boston missed out on two potential buyout additions over the weekend when Danny Green agreed to sign with Cleveland and Terrence Ross committed to Phoenix, Robb notes in a separate story. The Celtics were rumored to have interest in both players, and team president Brad Stevens said a decision on an open roster spot will be made soon. “You’ll look at it and you will decide, okay, is there somebody that fits that need and who’s really excited to be here if that’s the case,” Stevens said. “Or is it do you feel like you’ve got that all filled and maybe invest in a younger player. And so we’re going to assess all that over the next few days and try to figure it out.”
- Coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t upset about comments from reserve guard Payton Pritchard, who said he had hoped to be traded so he could get more playing time, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Mazzulla sees Pritchard’s frustration as a sign of competitiveness. “I’m happy Payton is expressing himself and the honesty that he speaks with,” he said. “I think it’s important to talk about that stuff because at the end of the day, I trust him completely and regardless of his circumstances, he’s always ready to play.”
- Jaylen Brown is out of action with a facial fracture he suffered on Wednesday, but he hasn’t given up hope of playing in the All-Star Game, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Brown said doctors have determined that he won’t need surgery, and he’ll be wearing a mask whenever he returns.