BOSTON — Sam Hauser’s long streak of 40 percent 3-point shooting seasons could soon come to an end. If it does, he at least found a piece of history along the way.
Hauser sank eight 3-pointers Friday night as the Boston Celtics tied the NBA record for most 3-point makes in a game (29) for the second time in two seasons. The Celtics made 17 3-pointers in the first half and another eight in the third quarter before finishing 29-of-59 from behind the 3-point arc while rolling the New Orleans Pelicans 144-118.
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“Obviously, you have to make shots, but I think (it was) just good execution,” said Joe Mazzulla. “Sam got hot. But I like the shots that we got, and we were able to make them, and obviously, once he sees a few go in, he continues to do that. So hopefully we didn’t use them all up in one game.”
Boston also hit 29 3s in the 2024-25 season opener against the New York Knicks. They now share the record with the Milwaukee Bucks, who hit 29 3s in 2020, and the Memphis Grizzlies, who achieved the feat earlier this month.
As was the case in last season’s Knicks game, the Celtics had multiple chances to set a new record. On the possession after Hugo González hit his team’s 29th 3-pointer with 1:20 left, center Luka Garza disappointed some of the home fans by dunking instead of aiming for the record. After Baylor Scheierman missed a transition 3-pointer that would have broken the record, the Celtics then dribbled out the shot clock on their final possession to give up their last opportunity to break the tie.
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Scheierman said he was not tempted to look for a shot instead.
“I could care less,” Scheierman said. “I’m a big ethical hoops guy. Ethical hoops university over here.”
Scheierman said Mazzulla waved to make it clear he did not want another shot. Either way, Scheierman said he would have held the ball until the end of the shot clock.
“It’s pretty typical when you’re up 40 (points) with 20 seconds left to just let it run out,” Scheierman said. “It is what it is. So I didn’t really think about (taking another shot).”
Boston, which clinched the East’s No. 2 seed with the win, was otherwise on fire from deep. Even center Neemias Queta sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key four minutes into the third quarter. It was the first 3-point make of his career.
“Buttery,” Hauser said of Queta’s long shot. “It was buttery.”
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Hauser is far more familiar with life behind the 3-point arc. He drained three of five 3-point attempts during the first half before sinking five more 3-pointers on seven third-quarter attempts. If not for Boston’s big lead, he might have recorded his third career game with 10 made 3-pointers. Instead, with the Celtics ahead 116-82 after three quarters, Hauser sat out the fourth quarter. He finished with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 8-of-12 on 3-point attempts.
With one game left in the regular season, Hauser’s 40-percent streak, which dates back at least to the beginning of his college career, is in danger. Hauser has shot at least 40 percent on 3-pointers in every season of his NBA, college and G League career. He recently said he believes the streak started during his freshman year of high school.
“It was bound to happen eventually,” Hauser said Thursday when asked about the possible end to the streak. “Every good thing comes to an end.”
However, after such a big night against New Orleans, Hauser might still have a slim chance to keep the streak alive. He will enter Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Orlando Magic shooting 39.3 percent on 3-point attempts. He would reach the 40-percent mark for the season if he makes his first six shots from downtown.