Sam Hauser had career highs of 30 points and 10 3-pointers to help the short-handed Boston Celtics beat the Washington Wizards 130-104 on Sunday night.
Jayson Tatum also scored 30 points with six 3-pointers as the NBA-leading Celtics hit 24 shots from beyond the arc in a game in which they never trailed despite missing three starters.
In the first of back-to-back games — with a game against Detroit on Monday — Derrick White (left hand sprain) and Jaylen Brown (right ankle sprain) joined Kristaps Porzingis (right hamstring strain) among the ranks of injured Boston players.Tatum also has been questionable with an ankle issue entering Wednesday. Instead, he played his 31st consecutive game and Hauser made his 16th career start to power Boston to 81 points before halftime and a lead that reached 36 points in the third quarter.
Hauser shot 10 for 13 from long distance and Boston went 17 for 28 from 3-point range in the first half. The Celtics shot 48% from beyond the arc despite removing their starters midway through the third quarter.Jordan Poole scored 31 points for the NBA-worst Wizards, who were without four starters. Rookie Bilal Coulibaly sat out with a bruised right wrist.
Tatum scored 18 points in the first quarter as the Celtics built a 45-27 lead in the first quarter. It was the Celtics’ highest-scoring opening period of the season.<
