Hield has quiet night, and then explodes
December 28, 2022 129 2 minute read
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Bahamian guard Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield had a quiet night on Tuesday as he was held to just 12 points for the Indiana Pacers as they fell 113-93 to the New Orleans Pelicans. However, he bounced back 24 hours later, matching a season-high 28 points in an impressive 129-114 win for the Pacers over the Atlanta Hawks.
Playing at the Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Tuesday, Hield attempted 10 shots from the field and was able to convert four of them – all from behind the three-point arc. He had six more treys on Wednesday, giving him 132 for the season, taking over the season lead for most three-point shots this season with a tally of 132. The injured Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry is second with 131 made treys.
The Pacers now have an 18-17 win/loss record on the season and sit in seventh position in the Eastern Conference standings in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The victory has the Pelicans in second place in the Western Conference of the NBA with a 21-12 record on the season.
In the game against the Pelicans, the shooting guard also had three rebounds and one assist against the team that drafted him in 2016. The Pacers were led by Benedict Mathurin with 15 points. The Pelicans Naji Marshall led all scorers with 22 points.
Hield made his first shot attempt from the field in the opening period – a 25-foot shot from deep to tie the game at four points with 10:08 left in that period. The Pacers stuck with the Pelicans in the first quarter and even took a 16-6 lead midway through the first period. However, the Pelicans roared back, going on an 18-2 scoring run at the end the quarter to go up 24-18 and grab the momentum from the Pacers.
It was not a good second quarter for the Bahamian as he missed both of his shot attempts. The Pacers as a team had a tough time in that quarter, shooting 36.4 percent from the field. At the half, the Pelicans had a 19-point lead with a 57-38 scoreline. The Pelicans outscored the Pacers 33-20 in the second quarter to take a firmer grip on the game.
The Grand Bahama native came alive in the third quarter, going 3-for-6 from the field to finish with nine points. He played the entire third quarter but the Pelicans were too much for any comeback plans the Pacers had. In fact, they scored 33 points again, outscoring the Pacers 33-24 to take a 90-62 lead heading into the final period.
Hield did not play in the final quarter as the game was a foregone conclusion in favor of the home team.
Their three-game road trip came to an end as they went 2-1 with wins against the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat and a loss to the Pelicans.
The Pacers flew back home to play the Hawks (17-17) last night, winning comfortably 129-114. They begin a four-game homestand at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Against the Hawks, Hield had one of his most prolific shooting nights of the season, going 11-for-16 from the field and 6-for-7 from deep. He added nine rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes of play. The Pacers led by as much as 22 points in the game, coasting to the easy win.
Hield led all scorers with 28 points. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton added 23 points and seven assists, Myles Turner and Mathurin scored 18 apiece and Oshae Brissett added 16. John Collins paced the Hawks with 26 points. Trae Young had 22 and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 18.
The Pacers return to the court tomorrow for a 7 p.m. showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers.