Getty Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
Sam Hauser is having a breakout start to the season for the Boston Celtics, making a significant impact off the bench over his last two games.
In fact, right now, Hauser is among the top 10 sharpshooters in the NBA, ranking sixth for conversion rate with a 53.3% success rate. Speaking to the media following his 24-point, two-rebound night, Hauser took a moment to praise the Celtics fanbase and share his excitement at playing in front of them.
“Knocking down shots in front of the best fans in the NBA is something special” 🙌
Sam Hauser gave praise to the fans in TD Garden ☘️
“It’s pretty cool. Kind of a surreal moment. You dream of this stage when you’re young, and finally being here, and knocking down shots in front of the best fans in the NBA is something special. So, I definitely don’t take it for granted,” Hauser said on November 9.
Hauser signed a three-year, $5.6 million deal with the Celtics this summer, after impressing them as an undrafted rookie who split his time between the G-League and NBA. Now, the 24-year-old forward is making the most of his opportunity and is quickly becoming an integral member of the Celtics bench rotation as a result.
Grant Williams Heaps Praise Onto Malcolm Brogdon
Another member of the Celtics rotation who has been impressive to start the season is Malcolm Brogdon, having been acquired by the team during the summer to provide the bench unit with some additional penetration, playmaking, and a reliable scoring outlet.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Boston on November 9, Williams spoke glowingly of Brogdon and the impact he’s had on the team since arriving in Boston.
“He does a phenomenal job of leading us and making sure that we understand how valuable we are to the team and how much impact we can have…He does a good job of penetrating into the paint and spreading out the shooters around him and creating shots for himself. He provides different values and opportunities to a team that needed it. He’s been very, very powerful in his way of approach every single day. He’s been very good in his ability. He’s been just true to himself, and he’s allowed himself to blossom with the success we have with one another,” Williams said.
Brogdon has participated in 11 games for the Celtics so far, providing them with averages of 13.7 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% from the field and 36.8% from deep.
Brogdon’s Injury History is a Concern
Part of the reason the Celtics were able to acquire Brogdon so cheaply this summer is because of his recent injury history, having failed to crack 60 regular-season games for 4 of his first six seasons.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Brogdon’s recent history will ensure that every time he takes a slight bump, the coaching staff will be extra careful with him – which is what happened on November 9, during the Celtics’ victory over the Detroit Pistons when Brogdon sat out the second half of the game due to a hamstring issue.
The Celtics announced Malcolm Brogdon is OUT for the rest of the game due to right hamstring tightness.
One would hope that Brogdon’s recent hamstring issue is nothing more than an isolated incident, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Celtics limit his game time in the coming weeks, just to ensure he remains healthy and continues to be a viable option for them throughout the season. Either way, Brogdon has been a sensation for the Celtics since joining the season.