The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns head into the All-Star break with the NBA’s best record, while Chavano “Buddy” Hield and the Indiana Pacers snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Hield finished with 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds in a 113-108 win over the Washington Wizards at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, last night.

It was the first win for Hield since he joined the Pacers roster in a six-player deal just before the trade deadline and was the first win for the franchise since January 31.

Ayton and the Suns head into the All-Star break with the league’s best record at 48-10 after last night’s 124-121 win over the Houston Rockets at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

He concluded the first half of the season with a game high 23 points and nine rebounds. They increased their lead to 5.5 games over the second place Golden State Warriors.

The Suns return to action against the Thunder on February 24.

Injuries and illnesses have kept Ayton in and out of the lineup for 21 games this season and the Suns have gone 18-3 in those games.

Ayton has missed six games in the NBA’s health and safety protocols for COVID-19, he also missed three games with a non COVID-related illness, five games with a right leg contusion and seven games with an ankle injury.

Ayton is averaging 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game on 63 percent shooting from the field. He has 19 double doubles in 36 games this season.

Hield’s four-game run included a season high 36 points on 14-20 shooting, 8-12 from three-point range, in Tuesday night’s 128-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Hield’s historically hot shooting effort followed an abysmal performance on Sunday in a 129-120 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves when he shot 6-19 and just 1-13 from three-point range.

“I was struggling a bit, I had to call coach Jenny [Boucek] to get some shots early that morning, stayed for an hour, got after it. After a game like that where I went 1-13 I had to fix some things, go back to basics,” Hield said.

Hield has averaged 20 points, six rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in his four appearances with the Pacers. He is shooting 45 percent from the field and 34 percent from three. The veteran guard said he continues to settle into the adjustment process with the third team of his NBA career.

“Getting familiar with coaches, getting familiar with the plays, and getting used to the playing style. I think the playing style is fun. I think Rick [Carlisle] does a good job of letting us be free, keeping space, keeping the structure but still being able to freelance. Everyone is moving with continuity,” Hield said. “You see the ball is popping out there and I like it when the ball is popping. Everybody gets to touch it, everybody gets to feel comfortable, everybody is in rhythm, and it’s not an offence where everybody is predicated on one man trying to make a play for everybody, everybody is making plays for each other so it’s fun to be out there.”

The Pacers return to action on February 25 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said the team’s new free-flowing offensive strategy has accompanied its recent roster turnover.

“I love the way we’re playing right now from the standpoint of ball movement and sort of playing a pure version of the game,” he said.

“Not much playcalling, a lot of cutting, a lot of reading off one another, unselfish play, and that’s what we have to continue to do going forward.”