Sixers

Buddy Hield Fitting in Quite Nicely Already

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Feb 13th, 2024 · 9:23 AM EST

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GREAT win for the Sixers in Cleveland on Monday night. They traded blows with the red-hot Cavs in the fourth quarter and made some key plays to earn a two-point road victory and win back-to-back games for the first time since since Joel Embiid’s 70-piece against the Spurs:

Buddy Hield Highlights I 24 points, 5/8 from 3, 8 assists I Sixers vs Cavaliers

I am ALL FREAKING IN on Buddy Hield, the impact he’s had in the PnR (20 assists in 3 games) has been beyond impressive and the fit with Joel Embiid is next level #Sixers #HereTheyCome #BuddyHield pic.twitter.com/K4zdLUrbKw

— MRCROCKPOT (@mrcrockpot) February 13, 2024

Buddy was fantastic in Cleveland. He’s been great since the trade, and was thrown right into the mix last week when the depleted Sixers were desperate just for bodies. He’s scored 20+ points in all three games and is 13 for 29 from three, which is 44.8%. He’s added 20 assists and 13 rebounds in these games.

When you watch that video clip above, you see a little bit of everything. You see him take Jarrett Allen off the dribble, then use his body to get to the rim and lay it in. There’s a mix of catch and shoot, pull up, and step back shooting. And those iso possessions against Max Strus were veteran shooter specials, just working individual magic for some big buckets down the stretch.

Hield had three turnovers in Cleveland and eventually fouled out, but he’s taken on a decent load with Embiid and Tobias Harris unavailable. He makes good decisions with the ball, moves without it, and hit Paul Reed on a couple of smart pocket passes and pick and roll reads. The Sixers did a nice job of working the Cavs’ perimeter with pick and roll and stagger sets, getting the matchups they wanted and needed. All five starters were in double digits and Cam Payne added 15 off the bench.

It was a fun and surprising win and the bleeding has temporarily stopped with the Sixers at 32-21 and half a game behind the Knicks for fourth place in the East. They’ve got Miami at home next, then the badly-needed break, followed by New York, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Boston.

Buddy Hield’s first 3 games with the Sixers:

20 PTS – 4 REB – 6 AST – 4 3PM
23 PTS – 5 REB – 6 AST – 4 3PM
24 PTS – 4 REB – 8 AST – 5 3PM pic.twitter.com/k7fZEPmImP

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 13, 2024