The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BUDDY Hield suffered his first loss in Miami but says the strong Bahamian support is always present at the American Airlines Arena.

Hield finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocked shots in the Sacramento Kings' 118-113 overtime loss to the Heat on Monday night.

The fourth-year Kings guard said that friends and family in the crowd continue to be a motivating factor when he plays in Miami, the closest NBA destination to the Bahamas.

"Everybody is family when you come from the Bahamas, with Bahamians in Miami and others flying in.

"I think it was about 200 people. I always see flags, they support me every time so it's always much love and respect," Hield said.

Hield has a 2-1 record in his three games in Miami. In those games, he has averaged 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 52 per cent shooting from the field and 43 per cent beyond the arc.

"You want to show out when you're close to home, especially when your family comes to watch you," Hield said.

"But thank God for the opportunity to come out here and play in front of my family and to have them see me play the game of basketball that we love, a lot could be worse"

Hield may be successful but the Kings franchise is 2-16 in its last 18 trips to Miami. The Heat have already matched last season's home win total -- Miami was 19-22 at home a season ago, while the Kings trend in the opposite direction at 15-28 for the season.

The loss to the Heat on Monday extended their current losing streak to five games. They also began the season at 0-5 and suffered a seven-game losing streak in December.

"This feels like the sixth game we had like this where we were up by two or three and lost in overtime. It's depressing, its basketball but we have to find a way to win.

"We had a bad loss to Utah, checked ourselves, but me as a leader I have to be focused and locked in on every aspect of the game guarding, trying to make plays," Hield said.

"I don't consider us a bad team we just can't figure it out. Guys hurt, in and out of the lineup, we weren't consistent all year.

"We can't get in that bad groove we had in December, we just have to get the edge back."