Jaden Springer, formerly of the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics traded Jaden Springer to the Houston Rockets on Feb. 6. Ime Udoka’s surging team quickly waived the defensive-minded guard before signing with the Utah Jazz.

On Monday, March 10, Springer made his return to the TD Garden as part of Will Hardy’s team. When speaking to the media after the game, Springer praised Brad Stevens for the communication he received leading up to his eventual trade.

“Brad told me like before it actually (happened),” Springer said. “He gave me a heads up like ‘Hey, something might happen,’ so, I’m happy he gave me like a heads up. I appreciate Brad for bringing me in, let me get a championship with them guys and be on the team, so I appreciate them. I got love for them, so it’s pretty cool.”

Springer then shared his gratitude for the year he spent in Boston. He noted how his experience allowed him to learn from All-Stars such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with impending Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard.

“I got to watch Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, got to watch those guys and Payton Pritchard,” Springer said. “I got to watch those guys every game and then being around the team and this culture is like is you adapt to win the culture you know what it takes to win so having that knowledge is something that you can always use.”

Since joining the Jazz, Springer has seen the floor on six occasions. He’s averaging 11.2 minutes per game, scoring 3.5 points, dishing out 1.5 assists and grabbing 1.2 rebounds. His defensive upside is undoubtedly intriguing, and he will be hoping the rebuilding Jazz is the perfect spot for him to develop into a genuine NBA rotation player.

Celtics Sam Hauser Enjoyed Strong Third Quarter

During the third quarter of Boston’s 114-108 win over the Jazz, Sam Hauser scored seven three-point shots, totaling 23 points, setting a franchise record in the process. During his postgame news conference, head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the championship-winning sharpshooter.

“There’s no shot that he shoots that we think is a bad shot. So, I think it was great that even when he was 1/7, the team was still looking to find him,” Mazzulla said. “…He does the same process every day, whether he does this or whether he goes for 1/7.”

Hauser has been dealing with a lower back issue throughout the season. Nevertheless, when he’s given the opportunity, he’s more than capable of reminding the world why he’s one of the best perimeter catch-and-shoot threats in the world.

Celtics Are Now on a Five Game Win Streak

Following Boston’s March 10 victory, the Celtics are now on a five-game win streak. Since losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 28, the team has secured wins over the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers and Jazz.

Now, Mazzulla’s team will face a stern test when they go toe-to-toe with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, March 12. That game could potentially be a preview of this year’s NBA Finals. Of course, both teams will need to navigate their respective conferences if they want a shot at fighting for the championship.

Nevertheless, Boston will be entering the blockbuster matchup with some momentum behind them, and that could lead to a strong performance, which should have the fanbase excited.