NBA: Sam Hauser has career-best game as Celtics rout Wizards

Sam Hauser established career highs of 30 points and 10 3-pointers to lead the short-handed Boston Celtics to a 130-104 road victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday night.

Hauser connected on 10 of his first 12 3-point attempts. He rolled his left ankle after his 13th 3-point attempt, went to the locker room with 7:43 remaining in the third quarter and did not return to the game. Boston was 24-of-50 from 3-point territory in the win.

The Celtics’ record for 3-pointers in a game is 11 set by Marcus Smart against Phoenix in 2020. Jaylen Brown, who made 10 3-pointers against Orlando in 2021, is the only other Boston player to have at least 10 3-pointers in a game in franchise history.

Jayson Tatum added 30 points, six rebounds and six assists for Boston (53-14), which was without three starters. Brown (ankle), Kristaps Porzingis (right hand strain) and Derrick White (hand) did not play in the victory. Porzingis hasn’t appeared in any of Boston’s last five games.

Jordan Poole tossed in a game-high 31 points for Washington (11-57). Justin Champagnie had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Wizards, who have lost four games in a row and 20 of their last 22.

The Celtics shot 66.7 percent from the floor (14 of 21) in the first quarter and had a 45-27 lead after 12 minutes. Tatum had 18 points in the quarter, when the Celtics made 9 of their 14 3-point attempts.

Boston outscored Washington 36-26 in the second quarter to stretch its lead to 81-53 at halftime. The Celtics made 17 3-pointers in the half, and had a 33-point lead after an Al Horford 3-pointer that put Boston up 81-48 with 38.1 left in the second quarter. The 17 3-pointers were the most the Celtics have made in one half in franchise history.

The Celtics led 108-78 entering the fourth.

Boston’s Payton Pritchard finished the game with a career-high 13 assists.

—Field Level Media/Reuters