Sacramento Kings’ Buddy Hield (24) shoots over Indiana Pacers’ Aaron Holiday during the first half last night in Indianapolis. Hield had 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
By RENALDO DORSETT
Tribune Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
AS the NBA regular season winds down, Chavano “Buddy” Hield is forced to take on a larger role for the shorthanded Sacramento Kings.
Hield finished with his second double double of the season and seventh of his career - 18 points and 11 rebounds - in the Kings’ 103-99 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
It was the Kings’ third straight win. After a season low two points, six rebounds and a season high seven assists in a 110-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Hield rebounded with 27 points and six rebounds in a 111-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
“We ran a lot more drag with Buddy and I thought Buddy did a really nice job of hitting the big man rolling throughout the whole game,” Kings head coach Luke Walton said. “Teams are going to try to take his scoring away, especially with our other guys out, so he did a nice job getting off that ball. We’re going to have to create our offence using different people in different sets, they were doing everything to take Buddy out of it.”
Leading scorer De’Aaron Fox missed his sixth straight game because of health and safety protocols, third leading scorer Harrison Barnes missed his fourth straight game with a hip injury and rookie standout Tyrese Haliburton will miss the remainder of the regular season with a hyperextended left knee.
“It’s always the next man up mentality. We just have to stay locked in and just play basketball, keep moving the ball, making the right play and trusting the guys. I think we have a lot of guys on the floor that can make plays even though we are missing Fox, Tyrese, HB, we have guys that can make plays,” Hield said.
“I’m going to get more opportunities. Especially when I’m in pick and rolls, it’s a high volume play. A lot of people might not think its a high volume play, they want me to stay spaced, but I feel like it brings more offense to our teammates because they have to blitz me, they won’t let me come off wide open and they have to roll on Rashaun [Holmes] it triggers him to be free and he gets the ball in the corner or you give him the finish.”
The Kings (28-37) have six games remaining on its regular season schedule, which concludes May 16 against the Utah Jazz.
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