Coach Spins' Clipboard: Role Player Appreciation w/ Sam Hauser, Usman Garuba, Isaiah Hartenstein & more
Often under-appreciated, we dedicate this week's film footage to highlighting the unsung heroes on an NBA floor... and Nick Nurse's latest tomfoolery
“Know your role, star in your role, and most importantly accept your role…and everything will work out.” — Evan Turner
Too often basketball coverage gravitates to the stars of the league. I mean, I get it… that’s what sells, what draws in the casual fans, and what is ultimately best for the league’s growth.
But there does need to be a space to celebrate the other guys, the ones who don’t end up on ESPN every day. This week’s clipboard will feature some smaller details from the best role players at the start of the season. Specialty shooters or rebounders, sixth man candidates, passing big men… the list goes on.
We’re looking at the positive impacts that non-starters have made lately in their own, unique ways, starting with the best big man in the Big Apple right now.
Hartenstein the Great
The New York Knicks are killing teams on the glass this year, thanks in large part to new signing Isaiah Hartenstein. He’s a physical force on the offensive glass, pulling in 3.3 offensive boards a game and 4.9 per 36 minutes, a top-ten rate in the league. He’s a great tip-in artist with a water polo-esque poke and enough effort to go through or around any big man that doesn’t provide maximum effort:
Even when he isn’t tipping the ball in for himself, his extra possessions created and effort on the glass has tangible effects on others. In that same game against the Utah Jazz he battled for a board and then quickly found a wide-open Julius Randle from deep. The best time to shoot 3-pointers is off a kickout, and not just from dribble penetration. Triples off second-chances can be real backbreakers:
My one request of Tom Thibodeau: let Hart cook as a facilitator at the top of the key. He’s not a traditional screen-and-roll big and shouldn’t be treated as such. If they add some different wrinkles to their playbook enabling Isaiah to create from that high and suck opposing rim protectors away, they’ll have enough big man depth and variety to really fluster different opponents based on their personnel and schemes.
Side note: The Knicks are feisty despite some early-season inconsistencies from their best guys. Cam Reddish is hooping, Immanuel Quickley is a legitimate on-ball defender, and Obi Toppin is shooting 40% from deep. They’re a fun watch.
Celtics Finding Their Shooter
For years, both Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens have tried to find a young shooting specialist to come in and snipe. First was Carsen Edwards. Then it was Aaron Nesmith. The added value of that spacing and movement shooting was always thought to be successful next to their stars of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. We just never got to see it in anything other than theory.
Well, this year we finally are seeing it — and the Celtics offense is off to a historic start. Sam Hauser has been a revelation as a wing piece for Joe Mazzulla, shooting an insane 48.5% from deep (somewhat unsustainable, no doubt). Hauser is only playing 16.4 minutes per night but is the league’s leader in overall plus-minus at +121 — absolutely bananas for such a limited role player.
The idea of a movement shooter fitting in with the C’s wasn’t just about drilling shots from deep but about the wrinkles it could add to a playbook. In particular, screen-the-screener actions were intriguing areas to utilize the no-win situation of having to decide on sticking with a 40% shooter or helping on a superstar coming off into the mid-post.
The Celtics are using that now with Hauser in the role as the guy who helps spring Tatum open on the block. When defenses help too much or fall asleep for a split second, Hauser jumps to the 3-point line and buries an open look:
Mazzulla hasn’t reinvented the wheel and the Celtics have been unbelievably hot from the field. They’re doing enough simple things that are effective and keeping the game straightforward for their stars. Excellent role players like Hauser help make that happen. What a godsend for the organization.
Float Game Strong
It should be no surprise that Trae Young leads the entire NBA in runners made with 35. But number two on the list might be a bit of a shocker.