Three Leaf Clover: PP’s defensive tenacity, Sammy’s floater, and the insanity of proposing at a stadium

You just have to love the Boston Celtics fanbase. From declaring this team a bunch of pretenders after losing to the Warriors in overtime to dancing on the grave of literal Kings. The rollercoaster of emotions is upon us, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. As we dive into the holiday season, let’s talk about some role players.

Stat of the Week: 62.5 FG%

Sam Hauser’s shooting is foundational, the type of skill a true, honest NBA role player can lean on and make himself 10s or 100s of millions of dollars. Just by virtue of shooting over 50% on wide open 3s (an actual stat), Hauser will be in the NBA for a very long time.

But if you want to take your game to the next level, you’ve got to take the advice of the famous investment firm Wu-Tang Financial: you have to diversify. And we are starting to see just the initial hints of Sam doing so.

Given his athleticism and ball handling limits, I doubt we ever see Hauser add the type of off -the-bounce attack out of spot ups that someone like a young Jaylen Brown had. He’s always going to be limited in the number of times he can get all the way to the rim, and his finishing ability when he gets there (although he’s 10/16 in the restricted area this season).

What we might see, and are in the early stages of seeing, is Sam finding his floater and short mid-range game. The 62.5% number in bold above is his FG% on paint attempts outside of the restricted area — in other words, floater range. The problem is that it’s only on eight attempts. The good news is that 7 of those 8 have come within the last 5 games. Like giving Pikachu the thunder stone, Sam is evolving right in front of our eyes.

With his incredible gravity, Hauser can walk into the short mid-range after a pump fake basically whenever he wants like he did against Sacramento the other night.

He’s even started to get a little fancy at times. Is that Luka Doncic I see?

The more diverse Hauser’s game becomes, the more dangerous the Celtics will be, and they already look pretty freaking dangerous.

Xs and OOOhhhhhhhh’s: Payton Pritchard the hound

There’s only so much you can do defensively as a 6’1” guard, but Payton Pritchard is doing just about everything he physically can. Yes, the defense gets worse when he’s out there, but it’s still very good. You have to take into account who he replaces, and Payton is unlucky enough (or maybe lucky enough) to replace two All-Defensive Team level guys in Jrue and Derrick.

Pritchard will never be a positive switch defender, but what he does have, he’s got in abundance. This dude fights for every inch on the basketball court, he hounds ballhandlers, even if it sometimes leads to him getting beat, like on this play where he is all over Malik Monk.

He doesn’t even get beat all that bad, but it’s enough to put the Celtics in slight rotation. This allows the weakside crash from Trey Lyles who puts in the tip dunk. But you know what? I’d rather have Pritchard aggressive, attacking his matchup’s handle every chance he gets. Even if it gets him in trouble once in a while, over the course of a game, it wears players out. It’s annoying and frustrating as hell. Like a mosquito I think I’ve killed a dozen times, but he keeps coming back for me.

He also understands scheme and personnel, like on this play where he jumps out at Paolo Banchero, forcing him to pick up his dribble and toss an uncomfortable pass out of bounds.

When you’re on the attack on defense, good things tend to happen. His screen navigation isn’t perfect, but it’s solid. When he’s asked to go over screens against ballhandlers, he does a good job of imitating Derrick White and his perfect rear-view contests.

Again, Pritchard will never be an elite defender — he’s simply not built for it. But he makes up for it with pure uncut tenacity. That dude never stops, even going at 7-footers to slow even the sniff of a transition opportunity.

It all adds up to a bench guard that’s playing some very solid basketball. Long live Fast PP.

Non-basketball Stuff of the Week: proposing at a stadium

I was watching a recent Heat game, don’t recall who they were playing, and the League Pass stream will often pipe in the in-stadium video. Some of my favorite NBA moments are from the in-stadium video, but the event in particular got me thinking.

A nice couple was playing a cheap version of the Newlywed Game (it is Miami after all) and were asked where they went on their first date. The woman flipped over her small whiteboard with some name I don’t remember. The man flipped his over and it said, “will you marry me?” She said yes, very cute.

Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

I do not have that cocktail of confidence and delusion to think proposing in front of 10,000 people is a good idea. I was basically certain my wife would say yes when I proposed, but there’s always that .001% chance you’re off base. I hated getting rejected at the bar in front of my small group of friends, never mind in front of 10,000 people pretending to be Heat fans. But kudos to that guy, and anyone that propose at a venue filled with thousands of strangers. You are insane.