Buddy Hield has been one of the best acquisitions of the summer, providing instant offense for a Warriors team that hasn’t lost since the preseason started, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. After scoring 22 points in Golden State’s opener, Hield singed the Jazz for 24 points in the first half Friday night and now has 49 points in 35 minutes while shooting 12-of-16 from three-point range.
Slater notes that the only downside for the Warriors has been an awkward starting lineup that hasn’t quite meshed despite the team’s overall success. The unit features an excess of size with Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis lining up alongside Stephen Curry. Golden State has fallen behind 12-5 and 13-6 in its first two games before rallying to take control. Coach Steve Kerr admits there are spacing issues, but he plans to keep the group together because of its defensive potential.
“That unit is still learning how to play (together),” Green said. “We didn’t have Wiggins all training camp. … Now this lineup is getting a chance to get minutes together. What you’ll start to see if we will start to settle in offensively. We’re coming out in the first quarter and everyone is trying to get to it: Go. Go. Go. Because we want that lineup to do well so bad. Everyone is coming out pressing. But once we settle down, that lineup takes over.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Wiggins seems to have revived his career in the early part of the season, observes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. The much-maligned forward scored 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting in the Warriors‘ opener and followed that with 13 rebounds Friday night, which is a regular-season record for him. “He’s getting off to a great start,” Kevon Looney said. “… He came with a different focus. A different energy. He’s been locked in and it’s good to see all his hard work has been paying off.”
- Norman Powell is helping the Clippers stay competitive while they wait for Kawhi Leonard to return from injury, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Powell shot 14-of-21 from the field and scored 37 points as L.A. picked up its first win Saturday at Denver. “I was just focusing on what the next play was, what the next read was and really just staying in the moment,” he said. “I don’t think about how much I’m scoring or what’s going on, missed shots, made shots, good games, bad games.”
- Lakers coach J.J. Redick will be supportive if LeBron James is sincere about his goal of playing every game this season, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Most players go into a season wanting to play 82 games,” Redick said. “So if that’s what he wants to do, great. I love it. I would love to have him for 82. We’ll manage the minutes accordingly.”
The only two player combo NOT working for the Warriors right now is the Wiggins-Kuminga duo. Split them up and the team is almost unbeatable. Do whatever to win. Move Kuminga out of the starting lineup, replace him with Buddy = cash
Don’t mess with what they have going right now. Hield coming off the bench seems to be working perfectly. A 5-minute bad start and a 40 Point win is nothing to panic over even though these are Lotto teams. They can make adjustments when things don’t work against playoff teams.
Steph has been starting slow despite some pretty wide open looks which is hurting them, but also Kuminga is still trying to find where he fits in with this lineup
Chapman , you’re right about Steph starting games slowly.
But he hasn’t started the 2nd half of these 2 games slowly, where this unit has a 13-17 pt positive differential (depending on how you measure it).
Steph’s slow starts may be unavoidable. It’s been a problem the last 2 years, especially the early turnovers. By the 2nd half, Steph is rolling.
I meant shooting wise. Like he missed 2 3pt against PDX on defensive breakdowns where no defender contested within 15 feet and he just missed 2 warm up 3s. They generated a few other good looks that just didnt go in.
Steph seems like he just hasnt gotten his shot going yet he wasnt making them at his usual clip in pre season either. I do think ironically Steph shoots a higher percentage sideways leaning with a defender on him than wide open. Like the last several years he seems to miss a lot of the oops Steph has half the floor alone than the 2 guys draped on him ones.
They are playing a new system. This lineup has only been together for 3 games. But, the Wiggins-Kuminga duo played well together last season. Besides, the Hield-Curry pairing probably is not the best defensively.
Kuminga is letting the contract mess with his head. In the first game he was trying to hard to score. The second game he played great defense but wasn’t getting open. Just moi ight take time for him to adjust with having so many good players on the court at the same time.
Kuminga unfortunately does look lost at time, but Kerr must not panic. Keep him in the lineup and Warriors has to deal with his contract situation. Klay was a distraction last year and Warriors must not let Kuminga get down.
Gary, the “starting lineup” rotation is barely scraping by against these lotto teams – what do you think a good team is going to do to them? Doesnt have to be Buddy, could be Moody, Podz etc.
This lineup has only played 3 games together in a new system. Every single player in a new system in the league is going through the same thing. Why freak out and make needless changes.
Not even going to wait until 5 games played to anoint Hield the best acquisition of the summer? Halfway mark or home stretch is when aging superstars feel the reality of a 82 game season. Let’s see how good the best acquisition of the summer or future multiple times all star in Hield and Kuminga are then and how many W’s they contribute to.
Wow…Someone is a bit upset. Write to Slater and complain…An 82 game season isn’t that difficult for an aging superstar when they don’t have to play more than 25 minutes a game. Kerr has been able to play his full bench without any issues.
Lol…sigh.
I guess that means you are going to be whimpy and not complain to Slater about it…Sigh
All up your poor widdle feelings much? How dare I point out they’ve played 2 games, perhaps let’s not get so carried away. Go get a tissue man.
Kinda weird. Slater made the statement about Heild. But, you somehow think I said that. I haven’t gotten carried away with anything. No one can predict what’s going to happen in the season. But, it is off to a great start.
Just go to LA Laker page they feel 3 games into the season they will win a championship. Right now with Heild teams are not double teaming him on the court. If he keeps it up and adjust it might get harder for him to score. So when he gets double team later on Kuminga will have wide open looks at the basket.
Give Hield some credit though for bringing positive energy amd having fun on the floor, it’s contagious.
Hield will eventually be in the starting lineup to make it tough to double team him or Curry at the same time.
arc89 , Hield is a poor defender. Put him with Steph and we’ll have the same problems we did with Klay last year, only worse. Kerr has repeatedly said that he wants to set the tone for the game defensively with the starting lineup, where we did the opposite last year.
Hield’s greatest value is in what he brings when Steph is off the floor. If he can shoot 40% from deep playing 16-20 mpg, for only $8M/yr, he really is one of the best off-season acquisitions in the league.
Agreed… far too early…
It’s just the early season when certain teams are written off and look better than they are…
Happened to the Rockets last year…
nrg82 ,
The article didn’t say “THE best acquisition of the summer”. It said “one of the best acquisitions of the summer”. You knowingly misquoted it to antagonize people.
Nice work.
Buddy Heild wins MVP 6MOtY and MIP! avg 30+ off the bench in under 20 min lols….
Yup.., Buddy’s motto right now is Klay ish..
Ready, fire, aim.
I’d like to watch them play a team that wont be a lock for a lottery selection this year.
Buddy Bahama being the savior is a cruel and bumpy road that I hope you guys are ready to trot down.
Who said he was the savior? You are definitely over thinking things.
i must agree you can’t get too excited this early playing some of the weaker teams. If warriors can go 8-2 to start the season then its time to get excited.
Buddy is averaging 17 MPG right now, that invalidates your take.
Lmao I thought you muted me Davey?
Who called Hield “the savior”? Are you going to whimp out on me?
Buddy has been the best player for the Warriors 3 games in. “Savior” was obviously hyperbole. Little early to get your panties in a bunch over an innocuous comment don’t you think?
If this is your reaction after the Warriors have had the slightest bit of success through 3 games, then I can’t imagine the hostility these comment sections are going to contain in February.
I’ve gone through seasons where Buddy Hield was the best player on my favorite team. Thats why I talk about Mr. Bahama as much as I do. Because I actually watched his career unfold. Its really not that deep bud. Grab a tissue and relax.
I can? Your takes are the worst on this site and provide zero value. You are already delusionally acting like Buddy is playing 40 MPG. What is the point of you?
Oh Davey. One day you will understand.
I do think this is probably the best possible place to get the most out of Buddy, and his defensive effort has been really good. I think one of the advantages of a 12 man lineup is being able to just cycle through your 6-12 guys every few min and let them all just go max effort while theyre in.
Buddy for allstar?
need to play more than half a game to qualify
JJ put the load management in LeBron’s hands so LeBron wont be able to say it was the coach’s dicision lol smart
Again, this is why the Lakers are non-starters and will likely finish bottom 4 in the West.
IF A 12-MAN ROTATION AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT.
The goal is to optimize the mix of 12 players across all 3 units for 48 minutes, not the 5 in the starting unit for 30 minutes.
Kerr repeatedly says the substitution plan is about “COMBINATIONS” and “CONNECTING”. Buddy, Podz, GP2, and Looney play beautiful basketball together. Same with Moody, Melton, and Kyle. Go with it until it doesn’t work.
BTW, the starting 5 may suck in the first half, but they are +17 in the second half for the first two games. They have never played together before. They will sort it out.
Warriors got lucky with the scheduling to begin the year. Their first test will be Boston on the 6th. They could be 7-0 at that point if they play well.
They should thank their lucky stars they can get acclimated and rounded into a rotation playing the teams that could struggle early.
Let’s talk after the Celtic game LOL we’ll see how they do. And it’s IN Boston. Should be a good test. Until then keep those 35-point wins coming. And yes 7-0 is quite possible.
Tatum is going to make so called coach Kerr pay!
Agreed. And tonight’s game makes my comment above not age very well. Buddy Hield just looking more like Buddy Thompson tonight lol.
At this rate the Warriors could be 2- 5 when they come into the garden or TD Waterhouse Arena or whatever it’s called now.
Isn’t it crazy how two beautiful games can Cloud our mind into thinking the rest of the season will go that way or in my case, the next seven games lol. Crazy how sports are. But I guess that’s why we watch lol. Bring on the Pelicans, twice !!