New Orleans Pelicans guard Chavanno "Buddy" Hield shoots against the Utah Jazz during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game on Sunday. Hield is heating up with eight three-point shots and two 20-plus outings in his last two games. (Photo: AP)
It only took Chavanno "Buddy" Hield one game to find his stroke in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
After struggling against the Los Angeles Lakers in his professional debut, Hield rebounded with strong performances against the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings over the Independence holiday weekend, helping the New Orleans Pelicans to a victory in the latter.
Hield scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the third quarter, inclusive of three treys, helping the Pelicans rally past the Kings and win their first game of the 2016 Samsung NBA Summer League, currently ongoing in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The Pelicans defeated the Kings, 70-66, and are now 1-2 in the standings.
Against the Kings on Monday night, the Pelicans trailed 20-13 after the first quarter, and 34-27 at the break, as Hield struggled, going just 2-for-8 from the floor. He heated up in the third quarter, similar to what he did in the fourth against the Jazz the night before. Hield buried three of his first four shots in the third, quickly pulling the Pelicans to within a single point, 37-36, with 6:51 to go in the third. He scored 10 more points in the quarter, leading the Pelicans to a 54-45 advantage after three. They never trailed the rest of the way.
Hield finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Pelicans. The night before in a 79-72 loss to the Jazz, Hield had a game-high 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. Hield knocked down four consecutive three point shots in the fourth quarter against the Jazz, bringing them to within 71-70 with 2:23 remaining. However, that's as close as they got, as the Jazz reeled off eight points in a row. Hield's sharp shooting in the fourth salvaged a tough shooting day as he went 7-for-20 overall.
In his first game, against the Lakers on Friday night, Hield had just 13 points on 5-for-20 shooting. The Pelicans lost that game, 85-65. Hield started all three games for the Pelicans, and he has eight three pointers in his last two games.
The Pelicans will begin play in the NBA Summer League single-elimination tournament on Wednesday, with opponent, time, venue and broadcasting information to be determined.
Summing up his three-game performance, Hield said: "I'm enjoying the moment and taking every day as an opportunity to get better. You come in with a label on you, and everybody wants a piece of you. You're the sixth pick in the draft, and everybody knows you're a scorer, so you've got to bring it each and every night. This is the NBA, so there are no nights off."
Hield is expected to fight for the starting two-guard spot for the Pelicans for the upcoming season. The NBA season gets underway at the end of October.
Sheldon Longley, Guardian Sports Editor
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