For years, the Golden State Warriors had Game 6 Klay (Thompson).
Now, they have Game 7 Buddy (Hield).
The shooting guard was on an absolute tear from start to finish against the Houston Rockets.
He exploded for 22 points in the first half, including a logo 3-pointer to close out the first quarter.
However, as much as those offensive outbursts helped the victory, head coach Steve Kerr also said Hield’s defense was fundamental in the victory.
“I thought his defense was tremendous tonight, too,” Kerr said, via ESPN. “One of the keys to the game was Fred VanVleet only got two free throws. Fred has just destroyed us the last three games. He’s had an amazing series. He completely flipped things with his play. Buddy did a great job on him. So, this was not just a lights-out shooting performance for Buddy, it was a two-way performance.”
Notably, Hield isn’t known for his defensive prowess, but he was all over the court.
He altered shots, stayed in front of guys, tipped passes and knocked down big buckets.
With VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson harassing and suffocating Stephen Curry the length of the court, Hield was the only Warriors’ long-range scorer who consistently kept making them pay.
He finished the game with 33 points to keep the Warriors’ season alive.
Now, the biggest challenge will be to sustain that level of production going forward.
Hield has already shown what he’s capable of, as he’s been one of the most efficient 3-point shooters since he entered the NBA, but he can go ice-cold as rapidly as he gets red-hot.
If he can keep this momentum going and knock down shots in the next round, the Warriors might have an edge and a legitimate X-factor to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves and reach the Western Conference Finals.
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