PACERS’ Buddy Hield (7) goes to the basket against Celtics’ Derrick White (9) during the second half of their NBA basketball In-Season Tournament game. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
As of Wednesday, December 6, 2023
#By TENAJH SWEETING
#Tribune Sports Reporter
#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
#SINCE being added to the Indiana Pacers’ starting unit in late November, Bahamian guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield has thrived in his starting role.
#In addition to Hield’s success, the Pacers are rolling not only in the Eastern Conference but also in the inaugural National Basketball Association (NBA) In-Season tournament.
#The Grand Bahama native’s team currently sits at the sixth position in the respective conference with an 11-8 (win/loss record) and earned an undefeated 4-0 record in the group stage of the NBA’s newest tourney.
#The Pacers’ most recent victory came against the Boston Celtics, the Eastern Conference’s first-seeded team, on Monday night in the quarterfinals of the In- Season Tournament.
#The Pacers ousted the Celtics 122-112 in a crowd-thriller at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
#The former no. 6 pick played an instrumental role for the Pacers to help the team advance to Thursday’s semifinals.
#He was the team’s second highest scorer, behind point guard Tyrese Haliburton, with 21 points in 32 minutes of action.
#Additionally, he collected two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Offensively he was in top form, knocking down 7-for- 11 field goals on 63.6 per cent shooting and from behind the arc shot 4-for-6 on a 66.7 per cent shooting clip.
#After a quiet first quarter, Hield got it going in the following period when he scored a driving layup on an assist from Benedict Mathurin at the 9:33 mark.
#Less than two minutes later, the senior national team player splashed one of his four three-pointers on the night to give the Pacers a 33-30 lead.
#The Bahamian three-point marksman garnered some momentum after he dropped yet another three followed by a dunk to give him 10 points in the knockout game.
#In the fourth quarter alone, Hield scored 11 points to push his team to yet another tourney win.
#During the 30-year-old’s seven games as a starter this season, he has averaged 17.4 points per game (ppg), pulled down 2.4 rebounds and dished out 2.6 assists. He has been a prolific scorer with a 53.6 per cent average for field goals and 47.1 percentage from behind the three-point line.
#At the charity stripe, his efficiency remains up to par with 88.9 per cent.
#Over the last seven games Hield has started, the Pacers have a 4-3 record which translates to a .571 win percentage.
#The Bahamian guard has turned in some dominant games recently, particularly against the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors.
#In his first game back in the team’s starting lineup, Hield dropped a then season-high 24 points on a scorching 81.8 shooting percentage.
#In the game, Hield canned 6-for-6 three pointers which was the first time in his career he made that amount of threes without a miss. If that performance was not enough, in the Pacers’ next game against the Raptors, the Grand Bahama native put up a season-high 31 points.
#The points were paired with five assists and two steals.
#He upped the ante with scoring in this game, making 7-for-12 shots from behind the arc for 58 per cent while shooting 70.6 per cent on field goals.
#After rejoining the team’s starting lineup, Hield has been nothing short of productive for the Pacers.
#Indiana hopes this continues as the team remains in contention for the NBA Cup.
#The Pacers are scheduled to play again in the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals at 5pm on Thursday, December 7.