Tag: Buddy Hield

Tyrese Haliburton discusses former teammate, Sixers guard Buddy Hield

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton discusses the impact of not having his former teammate, Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield around.

The Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers hooked up at the trade deadline as sharpshooter Buddy Hield was sent to the City of Brotherly Love. The Sixers are looking forward to Hield teaming up with Joel Embiid on the floor when the big fella returns.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton benefited greatly from having Hield on the floor as he allowed Haliburton to have the space he needed to operate. Since the trade back on Feb. 8, Haliburton is averaging just 15.9 points and shooting 26.8% from deep.

Before the deal, Haliburton was averaging 22.5 points and shooting 39.7% from deep. It’s safe to say he misses Hield on the floor.

On an episode of “Podcast P” with Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George, Haliburton opened up on the loss of Hield (h/t FanNation):

With the trade and stuff, it’s been different, and I think on the court is obvious, right? He’s so prominent in our offense with what we do with a lot of ghost screens and the way we move. His presence shooting on the floor, that opens up a ton for me because you not going to be in as much in the gap if you’re guarding Buddy because you know how he is as a shooter. So it’s been a little different on the court, obviously. But I think off the court, it’s been kinda the biggest adjustment for me. He just has always carried this energy around him, and I think who he is as a person every day, not having that energy has been a little different.

In 19 games with the Sixers, 13 starts, Hield is averaging 13.7 points and shooting 39.7% from deep. He is still looking to find his groove in Philadelphia and his rhythm, but one has to figure that it will be easier for him when Embiid does eventually return from his meniscus procedure.

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Kyle Lowry, Buddy Hield ready for adjustments when Joel Embiid returns

Kyle Lowry and Buddy Hield are ready to make new adjustments for when Joel Embiid returns to the Philadelphia 76ers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers brought in Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers and Cam Payne from the Milwaukee Bucks at the trade deadline. The Sixers then picked up Kyle Lowry in the buyout market in an effort to stay afloat until Joel Embiid returns.

Nobody knows when Embiid will return, but the Sixers hope he will return sometime in April before the playoffs begin. Whenever the reigning league MVP does return, Lowry and the rest of the Sixers will have to make adjustments on the floor.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to play with big fella and I’m looking forward to that,” said Lowry. “I’ve heard things out here and I’ve seen it. Like, I’ve seen it of course, but in person, it’s a lot different, and I think one thing that I’ve learned so far — his basketball mind is very sharp. A very, very smart basketball player. A smart individual.”

Embiid is one of the smartest players in the league. He has the ability to read the game in a certain way to make sure his teammates get involved and they get their shots and the Sixers miss him greatly.

For example, a guy like Hield is likely going to benefit the most from Embiid’s return. He is an elite shooter and he will be able to play off the big fella well.

“I know when he gets back, it will be a whole different style of basketball,” Hield said of an Embiid return. “That’s all I know. Just right now, we just trying to sustain this storm right now, until he gets back, it’s going to be a whole different style of basketball because I’ve been on the other side, where I had to prepare to guard him – and the guy is getting traps all day. So, what we are playing now is a wholly different game.”

The Sixers will certainly look to Embiid to give them more than a boost. With the big fella, Philadelphia is confident it can go on a deep playoff run. As long as he’s upright and can get time in with guys like Lowry and Hield, anything is possible.

“We just got to be patient until he is back and for me, I’m just, I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” Lowry added. “Part of the reason to come here was Tyrese (Maxey) and Joel, and those two are the big main reasons for me to be here.”

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Buddy Hield listed as ‘dream’ free agency target for Chicago Bulls

Buddy Hield could be a perfect free agency target for the Chicago Bulls.

It’s been a weird season for the Chicago Bulls this season. They started the year 5-14 and looked destined to be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. However, they turned things around, and now, they’re going to be in the Play-In Tournament, likely taking on the Atlanta Hawks in the 9-10 games.

That said, there are a lot of areas in which the Bulls should look to improve this summer. One of which is their play behind the three-point line, as the Bulls have consistently been one of the worst shooting teams for the past few seasons with this current core.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report listed Buddy Hield as a “dream” free agency target for the Bulls this summer.

“The Bulls are in the bottom half of the league in both threes per game and three-point percentage, so a volume outside shooter like Hield (3.1 threes with a 40.1 three-point percentage for his career) would do a lot to open up the middle of the floor for LaVine and Vučević,” Bailey wrote.

Adding Hield would give Chicago a huge boost on offense.

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Buddy Hield reacts to Sixers adding big man Kai Jones on a 10-day

Buddy Hield reacts to the Philadelphia 76ers bringing in Kai Jones on a 10-day deal.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers made a move in the buyout market, taking a flier on athletic big man Kai Jones. The former 2021 first-round pick of the Charlotte Hornets played two seasons in Charlotte averaging 2.7 points and 2 rebounds across 67 games.

Coach Nick Nurse said the plan for Jones is to keep him in the G League on this 10-day deal and then evaluate him. He is still a young player who would benefit from being around Joel Embiid, Mo Bamba and Paul Reed. Those  three veterans can teach him the ropes.

Jones hails from the Bahamas just like Sixers sharpshooter Buddy Hield. The big man received a nice review from Hield.

“I saw him when he came in for his workout,” said Hield. “Kai, he was let go by the Hornets, but one thing about this league is you’re always getting another chance. I feel like coming here, he’ll get to see some of the veteran big men like Mo Bamba, Paul Reed, and if Joel comes back in time, he can see how they work.”

The biggest thing Jones can offer right now is his motor and his athleticism. The Sixers could absolutely use his ability to come up with big plays such as game-changing blocks, steals or highlight dunks. He wasn’t able to shine in Charlotte, but Philadephia offers another opportunity.

“He’s a guy that belongs in this league,” Hield added. “His athleticism is 99th-percentile athleticism. The way he plays, he’s just a freak of nature. I think he’s just got to keep staying humble and keep working.”

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Sixers single out Buddy Hield for big 2nd half in win over Hornets

The Philadelphia 76ers gave a lot of love to Buddy Hield after a big win over the Charlotte Hornets.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers needed a boost on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. They needed somebody other than Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. to step up in the scoring department.

After a quiet first half, Buddy Hield came to the rescue.

Hield was scoreless at halftime, but he came alive after halftime scoring 14 points in the second half to help the Sixers defeat the Hornets, 109-98.

“He was good,” said Maxey. “He was Buddy Hield. He shot. He was aggressive. He drove the ball, kicked the ball. He played great defense as well. So we need him to do that and continue to do that as well.”

Hield and Paul Reed both played a part in the victory on Saturday. While Hield contributed scoring, Reed had nine points and six rebounds after halftime. Seven points and four boards came in the fourth quarter.

“I thought both Paul and Buddy were really good in the second half, right?” added coach Nick Nurse. “That’s a great bounce back because they didn’t quite get into the rhythm of the game in the first half. So that’s good to go out there and get yourself involved. Buddy really kept us going there for a stretch and that was good to see. He got to some good spots. He got some good looks. Made a couple 3s.”

Afterward, Hield admitted he mentally wasn’t there to start the night. The Sixers had just returned from a tough road trip and facing a bad Hornets team can take a bit to get the competitive juices going.

“I feel like mentally I wasn’t there,” Hield stated. “I was just roaming around, and I wasn’t productive. That’s why I didn’t play that much in the first half, I wasn’t productive, but you know, — second half, you go and regroup yourself, get your thoughts together, get your mind right. Go out and shoot a little bit. I was able to see one go down. Attack the basket a couple of times and get a couple of jump shots.”

Hield and the Sixers will play host to the Miami Heat in an important matchup on Monday.

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Sixers enjoying having no egos with Buddy Hield coming off the bench

The Philadelphia 76ers are enjoying not having any egos on the team with Buddy Hield moved to the bench.

NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers have had guys go in and out of the lineup throughout the 2023-24 season. Coach Nick Nurse has had to look into different lineups all season long in order to get the Sixers to succeed when considering the adversity they have faced with the injuries.

In Sunday’s win over the New York Knicks, the Sixers moved Buddy Hield to the bench. The deadline acquisition had been starting in his first 13 games for Philadelphia and in an effort to jump-start him a bit, Nurse decided to have him come off the bench.

The move paid off as Hield scored 16 points and knocked down four triples in the win. This was nothing new for Philadelphia, though. The Sixers have had Nic Batum, Kelly Oubre Jr., and others move in and out of the starting lineup with no fuss and Hield is the latest to do so.

“That’s what I love about this team is there’s no egos,” said Batum after the win. “He’s (Nurse) gonna switch lineups and when all guys are back and Kelly’s in the lineup, sometimes he’s on the bench. Now starting, sometimes it’s me. Nobody cares though. Just go out there and play. There’s no egos.”

The Sixers will have to continue to adapt to new roles and new lineups as they move forward in their season. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will eventually return from their injuries. That is when everybody will once again have to change things up in an effort to help Philadelphia contend for a title.

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Buddy Hield reacts to coming off the bench for Sixers in win over Knicks

Buddy Hield reacts to coming off the bench for the Philadelphia 76ers in their road win over the New York Knicks.

NEW YORK — Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield had a rough go at it recently heading into a Sunday evening contest with the New York Knicks. Coach Nick Nurse made the decision to have him come off the bench to try and get him going.

It ended up working out. Hield had 16 points and knocked down four triples in a 79-73 win over the Knicks on Sunday. He shot 6-for-9 overall and 4-for-6 from deep as he was able to find his rhythm again out on the floor.

Hield, who had been starting for the Sixers since being acquired, was happy to just get back on track a bit for Philadelphia. It doesn’t matter the role.

“Right before tip,” Hield said of when he found out he would be coming off the bench. “Nick told me and it’s not starting all the time. Once I go there and get quality minutes and help this team win, that’s all that matters. I come in and played my role and I know what I’m here to do and I did it tonight and it was fun.”

The Sixers are looking to just find a role for everybody. In order for Philadelphia to really get back on track, it will need guys like Hield to step in and produce. He was able to do so on Sunday.

“I just felt like he needed a different look tonight, right?” explained Nurse. “Just something to get him going. Game plans have been pretty focused on him. Sometimes when you can hide guys on the bench a little bit, you can sneak them in there and get them going. So it’s good. We do that with Kelly (Oubre Jr.) sometimes too, right? Just again just a change of scenery.”

The best part of the night for Hield was jut getting him back in a rhythm. He has been out of sorts recently and Nurse and the Sixers found a way to get him back moving in the right direction.

“Nick did a great job of putting me in good spots tonight,” Hield added. “So it’s not about starting or coming off the bench. I think everybody has done that since I came here so whatever he wants, we go with and we trust whatever decision he makes.”

The Sixers will face the Knicks again on Tuesday.

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Sixers’ Nick Nurse addresses Buddy Hield’s recent low efficiency nights

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse addresses the recent low efficiency stretch for Buddy Hield.

NEW YORK — As the Philadelphia 76ers move forward, they are going to need Buddy Hield to get back on track on the offensive end. After a hot start to his tenure with the Sixers, the sharpshooter has had a rough go at it as of late.

In nine games since the All-Star break, Hield is shooting only 35% from the floor and averaging 11.6 points per game. The 37.9% he’s shooting from deep is terrific, but the Sixers need him to be more efficient on the offensive end which means finishing opportunities at the basket.

“He’s had some good games early,” coach Nick Nurse said of Hield. “I think he’s had some games where it’s been tough for him to squeeze off good shots. He’s had some games where he’s gotten enough good shots, too that he hasn’t made. Probably a little bit of us just figuring out how to use him. A little bit of the ebbs and flows of the season.”

Over the course of an 82-game season, a player is going to struggle for some stretches. It’s just the nature of the season. Hield is a terrific shooter and everybody knows it. He will get back on track sooner rather than later.

However, when considering the very small margin for error the Sixers have at the moment missing so many key pieces, Hield has to break out of it and give Philadelphia a consistent offensive option.

“I think there’s a lot of those that he’s feeling pretty good about that he thinks that are good,” Nurse added. “They’re coming off his hand good and thinks they’re going in. They’re just not quite doing it. So hopefully it’ll ebb and flow the right way a little bit for him, too. I still like him. I’m still getting used to a lot of things he can do. I am getting used to him. I still think there’s a lot more he can give us, too.”

It will be interesting to see whether Hield can break out of this slump as the Sixers move forward with their 2023-24 season.

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Buddy Hield opens up on mental challenges of Sixers’ recent stretch

Buddy Hield opens up on the mental challenges of the recent stretch for the Philadelphia 76ers.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The 2023-24 season has not been an easy one for the Philadelphia 76ers. They have dealt with a lot of adversity as guys have been in and out of the lineup and they have had to battle without the services of Joel Embiid since Jan. 29.

On top of that, the Sixers have had to play without Tyrese Maxey as of late who has missed Philadelphia’s previous three games due to a concussion and is set to miss another one on Sunday against the New York Knicks. De’Anthony Melton and Robert Covington have missed a ton of time, too.

Buddy Hield, who was acquired at the deadline from the Indiana Pacers, hasn’t yet played with Embiid and has been playing with a different set of teammates on a nightly basis with guys being in and out of the lineup.

“You’ve just got to find a way, man,” said Hield on Saturday. “You’ve got to figure it out and find a way. You’ve got to do a lot of sacrificing, play together, and you’ve got to figure it out. The end goal is to get the W and no matter what — if somebody has 40, somebody has zero — figure out how to get the W. That’s all that matters. That’s the end goal, to try to get a win. Winning makes everything much better around here. We all know that.”

Along with the challenges at the moment, the Sixers have to begin a 3-game road trip on Sunday with two contests against the Knicks on the road before heading to the Midwest to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Hield and the Sixers must not muster up some consistency and look to get back on track as Philadelphia moves forward.

“Just come in ready to compete,” Hield said of the trip. “We’ve got to be able to compete. We know we’re going to the Garden. They’re going to be loud, they’re going to be ready to compete. They’ve lost some, too. We know what’s at stake. Looking at the standings, we’re all bundled up. Milwaukee lost last night. We’ve got a chance of closing the gap, but we’ll see how the chips fall. Like I said, if we bring the same intensity every day that we had in the third quarter and the fourth quarter (against the Pelicans), I think we’ll be fine.”

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Kyle Lowry discusses how to get Buddy Hield, Sixers moving forward

Kyle Lowry discusses how to get Buddy Hield and the Philadelphia 76ers moving forward in the right direction again.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers had a tough time in Friday’s 103-95 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. They trailed by as many as 35, and while they absolutely deserve credit for working their way back into the game, they shouldn’t have been in that position to begin with.

Kyle Lowry, who is the team’s veteran leader after being acquired in the buyout market, had six points and seven assists on Friday. He didn’t shoot the ball great, 1-for-5, on the night, but he was a key reason Philadelphia was able to get back in the game after halftime.

The Sixers must bottle what happened in the second half and take it with them going forward.

“I think we just gotta go and work tomorrow (Saturday),” said Lowry after the loss. “Get a good practice in, understand the situations that we’ve been in the last couple of games, continue to get better. watch the film, learn from the mistakes that we made, and keep our heads up. I think at the end of the day, we got to continue to stay high-spirited and go out there and compete a little bit harder.”

Another player who has to get going for the Sixers on the offensive end is Buddy Hield. The sharpshooter has had a tough go at it of late, and he shot 2-for-9 from deep in the loss to the Pelicans.

Hield is a terrific shooter. One of the best the league has to offer. Lowry and the Sixers just want him to keep shooting. They’re going to eventually drop again. That’s how basketball goes sometimes.

“He’s a great shooter,” Lowry said of Hield. “I mean, one thing about the NBA, it’s a make-or-miss league. There are nights where you’re gonna be on fire, there’s nights you’re gonna miss shots, but at the end of the day, he’s a great shooter and we want him to continue to shoot the ball. We don’t worry about him making or missing. We just care about him competing on both ends of the floor.”

The Sixers have a tough schedule coming up with two games against the New York Knicks and then the Milwaukee Bucks. If Philadelphia plays like it did in the second half on Friday, it will have a better chance of getting the job done on this upcoming three-game road trip.

“I mean, we got a tough couple of games coming up,” Lowry finished. “But we got to learn from this one, and continue to learn, learn, learn, and get better and take it into the next game.”

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