**BOSTON —** Let the Celtics tell it and **Sam Hauser** always impacted the team this year with defense, gravity and offensive activity outside of his three-point shot. And true, he became a better rebounder, impacted different lineups and flashed an occasional secondary play-making and inside game that helped him sustain through a slow three-point shooting start to the year by his standards.
But even Hauser acknowledges his job in Boston.
“I know I’m capable of doing other things other than shooting a three,” Hauser said on Wednesday. “It’s just what I’m asked to do the most and that’s how I started to get on the floor in Boston, and tried to run with that and become as great of a shooter as I can each and every day and then also building off that, which the next phase to a shot is a shot fake and a drive, so I know I’m capable of it and when it presents itself, I try to take advantage.”
Hauser continued his tear from three that included a brush against Celtics history in Atlanta, where he launched six misses in rapid succession after starting the night 10-for-15 from three. He fell one short of **Marcus Smart’s** record 11 from the 2020 season, and subtracting those six heaves, Hauser combined to shoot 41-for-79 from deep to begin this month (51.9% 3PT). Defenses reacted, and in recent games he became a hub for screening, movement and passing out of pressure that changed the complexion of the Celtics’ offense. This month, they lead the league in offense with 121.9 points per 100 possessions and remain just beneath the Nuggets for No. 1 this season with 121.3.
**Joe Mazzulla** moved Hauser back into the starting lineup after his 5-for-7 three point shooting night in Sacramento, where he started the second half over **Jordan Walsh**, who had logged 20 starts where Boston went 15-5. The move felt bold at the time, Walsh’s defense emerging as a crucial component to that end of the ball while the Hauser lineup’s struggles on the boards led to them getting away from their opening night lineup after only two games. **Hugo González** replaced Hauser in Detroit, where the Celtics fell to 0-3, before **Josh Minott** and Walsh provided more physical looks at the four position in the months that followed. Hauser, playing with new groups, struggled offensively by his standards after the demotion, shooting 35.5% 3PT.
“We only went to it for two games. So it’s probably a small sample size on that,” Mazzulla said on Wednesday. “To me, I just think they’re playing well. I think our defense has gotten better, I think our offensive execution has gotten better, I think Sam’s ability to continue to play two-way basketball, his ability to defend at a high level and then it obviously allows us to spread the floor and play a little bit offensively. We have to be able to go to a bunch of different lineups, but that one’s playing well so far.”
After the Celtics avenged the previous week’s loss to the Pacers behind Hauser’s 17 points, six rebounds and three assists on 6-for-8 shooting (5-7 3PT), their latest and original starting lineup this year improved on its +20.5 net rating to begin the night. The Hauser group’s 129.8 offensive rating surpassed the Walsh one by 11.4 points per 100 possessions, while the lineup’s defensive rating improved by 5.9 points per 100 too. Most surprisingly, the Hauser lineup rebounds 5.1 percentage points better than the Walsh group (70.8 DREB%). Boston has now won 6-of-9 with Hauser in the starting lineup this month.
It looks like the answer for the fifth starting spot until something changes, or someone returns. Only Denver’s most-used **Nikola Jokić** (+20.1) rivals this one among units with 134+ minutes played together this year.
“When I got back to starting, we were like 35 games in and we figured out our identity and who we were going to be this year,” Hauser said. “And that first week or two of the season, we were just trying to figure it out and everybody was a in a different role and getting used to that and adjusting to it. And now, by this time of the season, everybody realizes how they can help this team in the best way possible and I think that’s probably the biggest change, honestly.”
[And it hasn’t significantly diminished Walsh’s productivity](https://www.clnsmedia.com/jordan-walsh-should-start-again-for-celtics-after-pacers-loss/). He [told _CLNS Media_ in Miami earlier this month that he looked at the move to the bench as a challenge](https://www.clnsmedia.com/takeaways-from-another-late-celtics-loss-to-the-pistons/) rather than a demotion. Walsh immediately played his best game of the season, statistically, with 13 points and 13 rebounds in his first game back with the second unit in LA. And with the space, shooting and offensive movement Hauser allowed for through overpowering offensive showings earlier this month, it’s hard to imagine how the Celtics didn’t implement him with the starters sooner.
The team faced a difficult decision with Hauser among others over the season that they ultimately punted on with the **Georges Niang** salary dump. His slow start to the season continued to raise questions about his long-term standing in Boston given the team’s continued tax status. Now, like **Anfernee Simons** following his recent surge, it’s hard to imagine this year’s Celtics without Hauser playing alongside their best players. And back at his lifetime mark of 40% from three — his start to the season increasingly appears to have been an aberration.
He doesn’t care that it landed him on the bench. Though how he handled it might’ve served as a lesson for other Celtics who followed in losing their starting jobs.
“I don’t really care if I start or come off the bench,” Hauser said, reflecting on the change in Miami last week. “It doesn’t really matter to me, to be honest with you.”