Buddy Hield addresses new role after coming off bench to help Kings end losing streak
Kings coach Luke Walton made a bold move in an effort to jumpstart his struggling team, choosing to start Bogdan Bogdanovic over Buddy Hield on Friday night against the Chicago Bulls.
Hield came off the bench to post 21 points and eight rebounds, helping the Kings snap a six-game losing streak with a 98-81 victory over the Bulls at the United Center in Chicago. Hield made 7 of 12 field-goal attempts and 5 of 9 from 3-point range.
Point guard De’Aaron Fox posted 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Kings (16-29), who had not won since beating the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 7. Harrison Barnes finished with 19 points. Bogdanovic had 12.
Zach Lavine scored 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting for the Bulls (17-30), who shot 39.2 percent and made only 8 of 37 (.216) from 3-point range.
Hield had started every game over the past two seasons. He moved into the starting lineup while Bogdanovic was out with a knee injury at the beginning of the 2018-19 season and never lost the job, averaging 20.7 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 42.7 percent from 3-point range.
Hield hasn’t been the same this season while taking on additional duties. He still came in averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and a career-high 3.3 assists, but he was shooting just 36.0 percent from 3-point range and has struggled with defense and turnovers.
Walton explained his decision before the game.
“We’ve had however many different starting lineups all season long and it doesn’t matter,” Walton said. “We’re a team and we’re struggling to win games right now, so we’re looking to see if different groups give us a better chance of doing that. So there’s nothing permanent with it. It’s not a punishment to Buddy at all. Buddy’s been great and we expect him to be great for us again tonight. It’s just we’ve got to find something. We’ve got to keep looking for something that works for us.”
The Kings raced out to a 17-7 lead before Hield checked in for the first time with 5 minutes left in the opening period. The Kings led 29-21 going into the second quarter and carried a 54-44 advantage into the halftime break.
The Kings came out flat to start the second half, allowing the Bulls to stage a 13-0 run to take a 59-56 lead, but Hield came on to help them regain control. He buried a 3-pointer from 27 feet, used an up-fake to step into a midrange jumper and knocked down another 3-pointer, propelling an 11-2 run that put Sacramento up 67-61.
The Bulls momentarily regained the lead late in the third quarter, but a 3-pointer by Hield and two driving layups by Fox sent the Kings into the fourth quarter with a lead they would not relinquish.
Hield was all smiles as coaches and teammates applauded him for his performance after the game. He didn’t seem thrilled with Walton’s decision, but he accepted it.
“I’m a professional, regardless of what I do, whether I come off the bench or start,” Hield said. “I heard this morning when I got the news, so just lock in and go out there and do what they ask me to do.
“As a competitor, you’ve got to look at it, like, you want to figure out what’s the reason for that and you never get a straight-cut, clear answer, but as a player, as a professional, you’ve just got to go out there and lock in, and whatever the coach wants you to do, you’ve just gotta do it.”
Injury updates: Holmes and Bagley
Kings center Richaun Holmes and forward Marvin Bagley III were still sidelined due to injuries. Holmes missed his eighth consecutive game due to a right shoulder injury. Bagley missed his second game in a row with a sore left foot.
Holmes and Bagley both attended the team’s morning shootaround Friday, but neither participated. Bagley is experiencing residual soreness following his recent return from a sprained left foot. Walton said Bagley was wearing a walking boot as a precautionary measure, adding there are no signs of a new injury.
“He’s not going to play, so let’s do everything we can to get his foot to calm down as quickly as possible,” Walton said. “It’s nothing new.”
Holmes is still working his way back from a shoulder injury he suffered in a Jan. 6 game against the Golden State Warriors.
“He’s getting closer, but he’s not doing any contact, no basketball stuff with the guys yet,” Walton said. “He is getting closer. He is getting better, but we still have to give him a good solid practice before we get him out there once he gets cleared to do that.”
Harry good
Backup center Harry Giles III has persevered through long stretches of inactivity this season, but there was no question about his level of activity Friday night.
Giles met Shaquille Harrison at the rim for an emphatic blocked shot at the start of the second quarter and later swatted a layup attempt by Tomas Satoransky. He also knocked down a silky free-throw line jumper and showcased his extraordinary passing ability, dishing out four assists in eight first-half minutes.
Giles finished with two points, six assists, two rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes.
“I felt that his defense was the best I’ve seen since I’ve been coaching the Kings,” Walton said. “Tonight he was communicating, calling coverages out loud and clear early. He was at the level, switching when he should, getting back to his zone when he should, and he’s a big, physical body, and we need that so when he’s playing like that, it’s a big advantage for us.”
Pelvis problems
The Bulls announced forward Lauri Markkanen will miss four to six weeks with a right pelvis stress reaction. Markkanen is averaging 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds this season. The Bulls are already missing Wendell Carter Jr., who has a sprained ankle, and Otto Porter Jr., who has a broken foot.
Injury report
Kings: OUT — Marvin Bagley III (foot); Richaun Holmes (shoulder).
Bulls: OUT — Lauri Markkanen (pelvis); Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle); Otto Porter Jr. (foot); Max Strus (knee); Daniel Gafford (thumb).
Kings upcoming schedule
Jan. 27 at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
Jan. 29 vs. Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 at Los Angeles Clippers, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 7 p.m.
Feb. 3 vs. Minnesota, 5 p.m.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 7:30 PM.
