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For all Sam Hauser’s improvement and success on the defensive end, he is still a lock to be targeted by NBA opponents — which makes it a bit amusing for the Celtics on the now regular occasions when those doing the hunting wind up in worse shape than the prey.
Hauser will likely never be labeled a stopper, but he’s doing well to stop any slander directed at his defensive game.
The latest example(s) came Thursday in Indianapolis when the second-year Celt augmented his perfect shooting night by blocking three Pacer attempts. Hauser remains very much a hired gunner, but staying on the floor with a group this talented and deep requires attention to defense, as well.
So on an evening when he drilled both his 3-pointers and cut to convert an Al Horford pass for a bucket, completing a 3-for-3 effort in 13 minutes, his work at the other end of the gym was perhaps even more worthy of note.
Sam Hauser Block Party
Hauser began by swatting a Jordan Nwora floater. And he was there to support a teammate, denying an Aaron Nesmith layup after Nesmith had stolen the ball from Malcolm Brogdon. Then, early in the fourth quarter, he got Nwora again, rejecting his attempt before the Pacer could fully release the ball. That started a sequence where, eight seconds later, Hauser took a feed from Brogdon and drained a trey.
With the Celtics now at full strength heading down the regular season stretch, that kind of two-way game is going to be maybe even more necessary for Hauser to have even a modest role.
Assistant coach Damon Stoudamire discussed the situation with Heavy Sports recently.
“We all know Sam is a shooter, but he’s getting better and better with his defense and understanding what he needs to do within our concepts,” he said. “I just think sometimes other teams don’t look at the numbers and they target a guy that’s pretty good at staying between his man and the basket. For us, he’s developed a reputation as a reliable guy on the defensive end. I mean, you don’t got to worry about him in switches and everything.”
Hauser accepts that he will get picked on by opponents. He even sees the logic in it.
“I don’t know. You really have to earn your stripes in this league, it seems, and I’ve been trying to do that,” he told Heavy. “It’s just what it is right now. Usually I’m on the floor with guys who got votes for the All-Defensive team, so why would they target them when I’m kind of the new face on the team. I think it’s going to take a little while to earn my stripes, but I’m going to keep trying to do the right things.”
Marcus Smart Backs Hauser D
Marcus Smart, the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year (or is it defending Defensive Player of the Year?), concurred with Hauser’s assessment.
“When you’ve got me, Jayson (Tatum), Jaylen (Brown), Al, Rob (Williams) on the floor with him, who do you go at? He’s the only one you go at,” Smart said. “I mean, if I’m playing us, that’s the person I go at, too. I don’t want one of those other four.
“But that’s what makes us such a good team. You think you can go at him, but he’s a good defender, too. If guys want to force the issue and go at him, we’ll take it all day. He can handle himself, but we’re going to be there to help him — like we always are for each other — and they’re going to spend so much time trying to get him into the action and go by him that by the time they can get to it, it’s too late.”
Smart appreciates the way Hauser has worked on his defensive game.
“He’s very coachable, you know, understanding that guys are going to try to attack him,” he said. “He’s understanding guys’ tendencies, where his help is and how to be physical with guys. That’s the big thing. We encourage him to keep going and encourage him not to shy away from any challenge.”
Challenge? Hauser certainly takes the way opponents treat him as just that.
“For sure,” he said. “A hundred percent. You’ve definitely got to take some pride and man up and just do the best you can to make it hard for the guy.”
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