The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The best games of Buddy Hield’s NBA career thus far have come against the Boston Celtics, indicating a potential rivalry between the Kings guard and the team that passed over him in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Following Hield’s career-high 41 points and record-setting 11 made three-pointers Monday night, he offered a sarcastic response when questioned on the motivation behind his performances against the Celtics.

“What you think?” Hield said with a smirk. “I dont know...It’s a good place to play at man.”

The Celtics came away with the 103-102 win at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

However, Hield had another elite shooting performance against the Celtics for the second time in eight days. He shot 14-26 from the field, and was 11-21 from three-point range.

In a November 17 win over the Celtics, Hield finished with 35 points and shot 14-24 from the field, including 7-12 shooting from three-point range in a Kings’ 100-99 win at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

In the three games in between matchups with the Celtics, Hield shot just 30 per cent from the field and 22 per cent from beyond the arc.

In two games this season against the Celtics, Hield is averaging 38 points on 58 per cent shooting from the field.

Over the course of his four-year career against the Celtics, Hield is now averaging 23.1 points on 53.3 per cent shooting and 51.4 per cent from beyond the arc.

Those numbers are higher than against any other team in the league.

Hield further downplayed the matchup, particularly his head-to-head with Jaylen Brown.

Hield had a legendary workout with the Celtics leading up to the 2016 NBA Draft when he made 85-100 three pointers.

The Celtics eventually chose Brown with the No.3 overall pick while Hield went No.6 to the New Orleans Pelicans. The connection between the two players also arose this offseason as both sought contract extensions with their respective franchises.

Hield agreed to a four-year, $94m contract extension with bonuses that could reach $106m. Shortly thereafter, the Celtics signed Brown to a four-year, $115 million contract extension.

Brown finished with 24 points in Monday night’s win.

“It’s a good matchup. Guys are versatile, everybody creates some type of indecision. Jaylen Brown was good tonight, downhill attacking he got some good ones at the basket, we should have cut it off earlier but we didn’t and it gave him some confidence. We did a good job but Tatum and Smart made some tough ones, can’t really do anything about that when they’re making tough shots,” Hield said.

Hield’s 11 threes set a team record for the Kings, surpassing the mark of nine previously set by Omri Casspi and Mike Bibby.

For the third consecutive time, Hield also managed to score the most points ever against Boston without making a free throw.

It was also the first 40-point game of Hield’s NBA career. Eight of the 10 highest scoring games of his career have come since the calendar turned to 2019.

“Thank God for this opportunity, it’s a great opportunity, great career-high, 11 threes,” Hield said.

“It’s hard to do in this league, never discredit that. I’ll have another crack at it and hopefully I’ll get a ‘W’.”

On the season, Hield is averaging a team leading 20.4 points and shooting 40 per cent from three-point range.

“He got his rhythm going,” head coach Luke Walton said.

“Buddy’s an incredible shooter and we as a team know that when he’s hot, let’s find him. You’ve got to give his teammates credit too.”

After a slow start to the season, the Kings are currently 7-9, fourth in the Pacific Division.

In the midst of an 0-5 start, the Kings suffered injuries to the 2018 No.2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III for 4-6 weeks and De’Aaron Fox, the 2017 No.5 overall pick, is likely out until around the All-Star break.

“It’s been great for us, especially without our point guard, De’Aaron,” Hield said.

“We’re making good strides. We can’t get satisfied. We can’t be too relaxed sometimes. We’ve got to stay locked in and keep getting better. We haven’t done nothing yet. Still not in playoff contention. We have a tough road trip, we need to try to get Philly on Wednesday and try to figure it out.”