The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Buddy Hield’s Sacramento Kings got the better of Deandre Ayton’s Phoenix Suns in the first head-to-head matchup between the two this season.

Both players had season high performances in the Kings’ 110- 107 win at Footprints Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday night.

Hield scored 26 points in just 27 minutes. He shot 7-11 from three-point range and grabbed five rebounds with two blocked shots.

Ayton had his first double double of the year with a season high 21 points and tied a career high with 21 rebounds. He also shot an efficient 9-12 from the field.

He joined Charles Barkley and Amare Stoudemire as the only Suns players with multiple 20-20 games in the last 30 years.

Kings forward Harrison Barnes made the game-winning three pointer just before time expired to lift the Kings to 2-2.

The defending Western Conference champion Suns continued a slow start to the season at 1-3.

The Kings had a 13-point lead with 5:42 left in the fourth quarter before the Suns rallied to tie it late with 34.7 seconds left to play.

“Its good that we got the win but we can’t put ourselves in those positions. We got to get stops, even if we put the ball in the hole we have to get stops we can’t let a team get in rhythm. We can’t relax and let them do what they want to do we have to keep the pressure on,” Hield said. “Yeah, the referees can keep a trigger happy whistle but we can’t let that affect our aggression on defence, give them easy points and put them in a bad situation.”

Hield said although he had several opportunities to make plays off the dribble, he has placed a greater emphasis on staying within his role.

“I’ve been banged up this whole time in training camp and stuff like that. I’m just trying to get my confidence back in my legs you know, but that’s not what my team wants me to do,” Hield said.

“Me dribbling the ball is not going to help us to be honest with you, but me just passing, chasing making great plays, great decisions helps my team. Being a shooter you just got to pass and chase, try to make the right play for the team.”

The Suns have struggled to generate consistent offensive opportunities for Ayton through the first few games of the season.

Ayton has attempted 31 first-half shots and seven second-half shots for the season.

His average field goal attempts per quarter include five in the first, 2.8 in the second, 1.3 in the third and 0.5 in the fourth.

Ayton had 16 points at the half Wednesday night against Phoenix.

“It’s a conundrum, for sure,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said about the team not generating shots for its fourth-year centre.

“In the first quarter he was setting screens and diving, and like I said, we just haven’t been consistent.”

Ayton and Hield are expected to face each other three more times as Pacific Division rivals in the Western Conference. The Kings will host the second matchup, November 8, as the venue shifts to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Sacramento will also host game three on Sunday, March 20 and the Suns host the final regular-season meeting between the teams on April 10.