Hauser’s impressive numbers from February show how valuable he is to the Celtics.
In the flood of noisy statistics the Boston Celtics released in the All-Star short month of February, it could easily be overlooked. Sam Hauser, though, has a very good chance of surreptitiously leading the NBA in net rating this month.
In a February that started with a lot of conjecture over the Celtics’ potential trade deadline moves, such as bringing in a large winger who might have limited Hauser’s playing time, Hauser only strengthened his argument for being an important player in the Boston Rotation postseason run.
Hauser recorded an NBA-best net rating of +26.7 in February during the Celtics’ last game of the month. Possibly even more remarkable is the fact that he is shooting 100 percent at the free throw line, 46.5 percent from outside the 3-point arc, and 49 percent from the floor this month.
Among the 248 players who have played at least 15 minutes a night in at least five outings this month, Hauser has the highest net rating in the league. He actually outperforms the closest competitor, Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, by 4 points per 100 possessions (at +22.7). Jayson Tatum, who is +16.0 and ranked 10th overall among qualifiers, is his closest colleague.
Hauser is a regular rotating presence these days, but that wasn’t always the case a year ago. January 2023 saw a few DNPs, and after that, playing time was inconsistent. Hauser appeared in fewer than two minutes overall on February 25, 2023, when the Celtics faced the Sixers, as Joe Mazzulla used an eight-man rotation.
This year, Hauser’s responsibilities are very clearer. He has stayed clear of the shooting flaws that were more prevalent last season. Hauser has been shooting the ball so well lately that it felt a little harsh that the team didn’t extend an invitation for him to compete in the 3-point competition during All-Star Weekend.
Hauser appeared to be perfectly content to enjoy a relaxing week with friends and family back home in Wisconsin. He kept those triples reserved for the actual games.
With an overall 3-point percentage of 41.9 percent, Hauser is ranked 21st in the NBA. Hauser is ranked ninth among of 83 high-volume 3-point shooters who have attempted 250 or more shots this season.
Thanks in part to a +40 night in Brooklyn, Hauser is +96 plus/minus in February. However, it was just one of his four games at +14 or above. Hauser was actually only negative once in February, ending with a minus-1 score in the victory on Saturday in New York.
The starting lineup of the Boston Celtics has rightfully drawn a lot of attention this season, but the team has also needed the support of backup players like Hauser and fellow Nets favorite Payton Pritchard to win games because the starting lineup has not been able to dominate as much as it did in the past.
The shooting threat Hauser offers frees up space on the floor for Boston’s main players. He has also played strong defense, which makes it simpler to retain him on the field.
