Celtics forward Sam Hauser will miss a second consecutive game due to a right ankle sprain, the team confirmed ahead of Saturday’s Game 3 matchup against the Knicks.
Hauser sustained the injury on Monday and was seen leaving TD Garden in a walking boot following Boston’s Game 1 loss. Initially, Hauser was listed as doubtful for Game 2 on Wednesday, but he was ultimately ruled out.
The forward was once again labeled doubtful for Game 3, and as expected, was officially downgraded to out.
Although Hauser isn’t one of the Celtics’ primary contributors, he played an important role throughout the season, serving as the eighth man in the rotation for much of the year.
In the first-round series against Orlando, Hauser averaged 14.6 minutes per game over the five contests, providing valuable minutes off the bench.
During the regular season, Hauser averaged 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game, appearing in 71 games (19 starts) and hitting 41.6% of his three-point attempts.
With Hauser unavailable and Kristaps Porzingis limited to just 14 minutes due to illness, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was forced to rely heavily on his starting five during Game 2 of the second-round series.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White each played 40+ minutes, but their efforts weren’t enough as the Celtics lost both of their home games.
The Celtics picked up a win in Game 3, but they're still without Sam Hauser: https://t.co/Pxt0Dq4Sel
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) May 11, 2025
