Handing out regular season awards to the 2022-23 Boston Celtics
By Ben Grunert
Boston Celtics Most Improved Player: Sam Hauser
When Boston signed Sam Hauser to a three-year/$5.7 million dollar deal last offseason, many Celtics fans either doubted the undrafted forward’s ability to contribute or simply paid little attention to the signing.
Hauser wasted no time in proving the doubters wrong, opening the eyes of basketball fans across the country with his smooth shooting stroke.
The sharpshooter provided quality minutes for Boston as a rotational piece who played in 80 games this season. Hauser nailed 41.8% of his 3-pointers, and he became even deadlier from downtown as a starter.
In eight games with the first unit, Hauser averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while knocking down 45.5% of his 3-pointers on an incredible 9.6 attempts per game.
When he entered the starting lineup this season, Hauser displayed an outrageous combination of efficiency and volume, albeit in a small sample size. The certified sniper will certainly see steady minutes in Boston’s first-round series with Atlanta.
In three matchups with the Hawks this year, Hauser averaged 17.7 points per game on an insane 68.0% clip from downtown.
Hopefully, Hauser the Hawk Killer can show up again in round one.