Sam Hauser found himself shooting 2-15 through Boston's two preseason games. Having gone through similar moments like this last season in his first full NBA campaign, the marksman's confidence never wavered.
"Man, just seeing one go through the hole," Hauser told NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin what turned things around. "You see one go down, your confidence goes up, and the shooters keep shooting, so you know, eventually they're gonna start falling."
Starting with the Celtics' core and playing 22 minutes, Hauser recorded 15 points, four rebounds, three assists with a block, and a steal each. He was the focal point of a potent Boston offense. The Celtics' movement and playmaking were crisp, to say the least.
"We had good ball movement the whole night," said Hauser. "Good player movement, off-ball as well, and really just playing hard, playing with a purpose, and playing together. I think all that combined kind of showed tonight on the scoreboard."
The Celtics have been very loud for quite some time now about setting the standard on defense to begin training camp. Especially with those departing from the team along with the slip they took last postseason on that end. It's shown by how early most of the team came in, and the awareness has been there throughout the organization.
"I think our connectiveness, our talk, and just our intensity overall and our effort," Hauser said. "I think we've really been preaching that in training camp throughout this point, and it's showing."
Hauser being that off-ball, complementary piece for Boston's primary weapons is a big key for the Celtics' balance. He has proved to be an elite 40 percent or more shooter from distance with his good defensive length on the wing. Hauser's improvements will also be a pivotal ingredient in the Celtics' ceiling this season.
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