JB, JT, Hauser lead C’s to 3-point record at MSG

A season after Boston’s defense kept their opponents in check every night, their offense has now become an absolute powerhouse.

The Celtics continue to set offensive records both as a team and as individuals early this season, the last of which came in New York last Saturday night. Boston set a new franchise record for 3-pointers in a single game by losing 27 in a 133-118 win over the New York Knicks.

The previous franchise record was 25 3s made, occurring on February 22, 2022 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The only way to set records like this is through a full team effort, and that’s exactly what Boston accomplished on Saturday night. All nine players who checked into the game lost at least one treble. They shot an absurd 27:51 together from long range that night, good for 52.9 percent.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum led during the contest with six 3-pointers each. Sam Hauser was just behind them with five of his own, while Marcus Smart had three, Grant Williams and Malcolm Brogdon two each, and Blake Griffin and Noah Vonleh one each.

Boston’s first six baskets of the game were met from beyond the arc to set the tone for what was to come. The C’s fired eight threes in the first quarter, five more in the second quarter, eight more in the third third, and six more in the final frame to set the record.

Appropriately, it was Jayson Tatum, who came on Saturday with the Celtics franchise record for most points in the first eight games of a season with 247, who scored the record-breaking 3-pointer with 3:34 in the game.

Tatum’s criminal accomplice Brown said after the game, “Tonight we had some free time and had fun playing ball.”

It would be difficult not to have fun when shots come and the ball moves like it did for the Celtics during this competition. Not only did they set their new franchise record for 3s in a game, but they also set a new season high in assists with 30 assists. Marcus Smart led with 11 assists, which set a new individual season high for the Celtics.

Boston would not have set their new 3-point record without the services of sharp-shooting forward Sam Hauser. Hauser continued to capitalize on consistent game time by dropping five 3-pointers in 21 minutes on Saturday night.

Those 15 points from long-range helped Hauser set a career-high scoring record with 17 against New York. His previous career high was 11 points, which he scored against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 7 last season.

Hauser’s game continues to sparkle as his incredible basketball story continues to be written. He is a 24-year-old wing who did not draft college after splitting four years of college ball between two programs, Marquette and Virginia.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and his staff saw something special in Hauser — his shooting — and jumped at the opportunity to sign him as a two-way player on Aug. 13, 2021. The Celtics converted his two-way contract to a standard NBA contract around mid-February, then signed the talented shooter to a multi-year deal during the offseason.

After hitting just five double-digit minutes all of last season, Hauser has earned a consistent role on the team, cracking double-digit minutes in the column seven times in nine games.

This is the story the young man is writing. If he keeps playing like this, maybe he’ll become a family name.