A Night to Remember: Sam Hauser Shines as Celtics Dominate the Hawks

In a game that will be remembered for its explosive scoring and team performance, the Boston Celtics showcased their depth and firepower against the Atlanta Hawks. While Jaylen Brown stole the spotlight with a career-high 41 points, it was Sam Hauser who made a significant impact, hitting 10 three-pointers to score 30 points. The Celtics’ dominance led them to a resounding 132-106 victory, improving their record to 26-15 at the midway point of the season.

Key Players and Lineups

The Celtics were without several key players, including Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Josh Minott, and Chris Boucher. Their starting lineup consisted of Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown, and Neemias Queta. On the other side, the Hawks were missing Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Kristaps Porzingis, and N’Faly Dante, with their starting five being C.J. McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Vit Krecji, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Onongwu.

This game marked the Hawks’ first home game after a four-game west coast swing, which can often be challenging for teams returning from long road trips. The Celtics had struggled in similar situations last season, going 0-5 in their first games back from long road trips.

First Quarter Dominance

The game started with the Celtics taking an early lead, holding a 14-11 advantage at the second timeout. Jaylen Brown took 8 of the first 14 shots, making 3 for 6 points. After the timeout, coach Joe Mazzulla introduced four new players—Anfernee Simons, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and Luka Garza—to support Brown.

By the end of the first quarter, the Celtics led 30-23. Brown was the driving force, scoring 18 points while no other player scored more than 3. He also contributed 2 rebounds and 2 assists, taking 13 shots in the process.

Second Quarter Firepower

The Celtics continued their strong performance in the second quarter, turning up the heat from the three-point line. They outscored the Hawks 37-20 in the first 9:23 of the quarter and shot 9/12 from beyond the arc. They didn’t slow down at the end of the quarter either, scoring 52 points in the period and 82 in the first half, setting a new season high.

The Celtics finished the second quarter with an impressive 19/25 shooting from the field and 11/15 from three-point range. At halftime, they led 82-51, with Brown scoring 29 points and Hauser adding 21 points, going 7/8 from three-point range.

Third Quarter Control

In the third quarter, the Celtics maintained their dominance, limiting the Hawks’ offensive output. As NBC Sports Boston’s Drew Carter noted, the team controlled the “vintage Mazzulla Ball barrage.” By the 9:20 mark in the third quarter, the Celtics had built a 40-point lead. They reached the 100-point mark with just over 8 minutes remaining in the period.

Jaylen Brown hit the 40-point mark in the first three quarters of the game, finishing with 41 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in 29 minutes. He shot 14/30 from the field and 2/9 from three-point range. At the end of the third quarter, the Celtics led 117-74, with Hauser scoring 24 points and Neemias Queta and Anfernee Simons each contributing 14 points.

Fourth Quarter and Record Attempt

The fourth quarter saw Sam Hauser attempt to break the Celtics’ single-game three-point record, which is currently held by Marcus Smart with 11 three-pointers in 2020. However, Hauser only made 2 of his last 12 three-point attempts, ending the game with 10 three-pointers.

The Celtics shot 50% from the field and 42% from three-point range, while the Hawks struggled, shooting 37% from the field and 32% from three-point range.

Looking Ahead

With this win, the Celtics are set to face the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at 8 PM EST. The team’s strong performance and depth have once again proven their ability to compete at a high level, even when key players are absent.