Sam Hauser kept the receipts.
Following the Boston Celtics' loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals, a common refrain was that they didn't have enough scoring depth to get over the hump. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens also saw depth as an issue, which is why he gave up a first-round pick to trade for Malcolm Brogdon and paid $13.3 million to sign Danilo Gallinari.
On Wednesday night in Atlanta, however, the bench players leading the charge were all returning members from that 2021-22 squad: Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet.
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After that trio combined for 44 points on 17 for 21 shooting in Boston's 126-101 rout of the Atlanta Hawks, Hauser admitted the reserves have been motivated by the critics who called out the team's lack of depth last season.
"Yeah, definitely. Hearing that (criticism), it gets a little fire going in your body," Hauser told reporters, as seen in the video above. "Wanting to get better, wanting to work hard in the offseason, and wanting to show and prove yourself out there.
"Even Payton too. He was a part of the rotation last year and he’s been playing really, really well these last few games that he’s gotten the opportunity. I think everyone is kind of taking it personally a little bit, and it’s showing out there."
Stevens and his staff showed their belief in Hauser this offseason by signing him to a three-year, $6 million (total) contract. If he keeps playing at this level, that could be one of the NBA's best deals: Hauser is averaging 7.4 points per game off the bench while shooting 45.2 percent from 3-point range and leading the NBA in plus-minus through 15 games.
"It’s really fun to earn the trust and respect of the coach and the ones you are playing with out there," Hauser added. "It's something that takes a lot of work and you've got to prove it each and every day."
The Celtics were without three key rotation players Wednesday in Marcus Smart, Brogdon and Robert Williams, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both had quiet nights offensively. But Boston's original "bench mob" was ready when called upon to lead a 25-point rout of the current No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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Hauser has been a revelation on the second unit, playing with a chip on his shoulder that's evident in his production. That's a great sign for the NBA-leading Celtics, who continue to find more ways to win without their stars carrying a heavy load.