Hield’s X-factor status amplified in Warriors’ win over Pistons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
After playing winning basketball for the first 42 minutes and attempting to lose in spectacular fashion in the final six minutes, the Warriors walked away Thursday night with a victory that provides some clarity on the ceiling of their current roster.
It doesn’t depend on Stephen Curry, Draymond Green or Andrew Wiggins, but on . . . Buddy Hield.
Curry, Green and Wiggins have history in Golden State. We saw their ceilings. With Hield, this is starting to become evident.
When Hield is productive on offense, the Warriors can fly.
When he’s unproductive on offense, they need Curry, Green and a few others to keep them from going under.
Hield had an emphatic positive impact at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, scoring a team-high 19 points as the Warriors held on for a 107-104 victory against the Pistons that sent Golden State back above .500 at 19-18.
Hield wasn’t the only one to keep his promises. Golden State’s lengthy injury report has required input from others, and no one has been bigger than rarely used forward Gui Santos, who came off the bench with a spark that created opportunities for himself and his teammates. Trayce Jackson-Davis (14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, team-best plus-16) and Dennis Schröder (13 points, seven assists, plus-7) also had solid games.
But Hield’s 3-point shot tends to have a profound effect on the collective vitality of the team. His 7-of-15 shooting from the field was welcome, but his 5-of-11 shooting from distance was the final straw that fueled Golden State’s offense on a night when Curry (17 points, 5-of-21 from the field , including 2 of 14 from deep) could not.
“Man, he put pressure on it,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Detroit. “He’s a great teammate and cares so much. Everyone was so happy to see him play that way and contribute. It was fun to see him with his smile, making shots and feeling good about everything.
Hield’s strong start in his first season with the Warriors was an integral part of their tremendous first month. He averaged 16.2 points in the first 15 games, shooting 47.3 percent from the field, including 44.2 percent from deep when they were 12-3.
When Hield entered a prolonged slump, averaging 9.2 points, with a 37.8/33.3 percentage over the next 21 games, the Warriors were 6-15.
The hard truth is that there will be more games where Curry needs a pickup. Other matches where Jonathan Kuminga, who watched from the bench, will not be available. No more nights where Andrew Wiggins – who is in the Bay Area for an expected addition to his family – will be out of the lineup or ineffective.
Hield’s performance is the closest thing the Warriors have to a barometer of individual performance. They are undefeated (9-0) when he scores at least 18 points, they are 10-18 when he falls short of that total. Getting to 18 points is not a magic number in itself. This doesn’t guarantee anything. But it illustrates Hield’s importance.
Curry’s scoring is more of a constant. We’ve seen enough games this season to realize he can be magnificent, and that won’t always be enough to lift the Warriors. Curry crossed the threshold into the X factor many years ago. Hield has been that for most of his eight-year career and is certainly that for the Warriors.
They acquired him last summer to fill the void created by the departure of Klay Thompsonwho himself had become an X factor. If Hield is on Golden State’s roster, that’s his primary role.
Golden State’s defense has been more good than bad, but its offense has been the opposite — largely because Buddy has been the opposite.
After two incredibly poor performances that ended in defeat, this was a heartwarming victory for the Warriors. Their 18 points fell to three, but they had enough grit and production to survive a rough night from Curry.
“It’s wonderful to see our guys, especially on a night when Steph didn’t shoot well, generate that kind of offensive or offensive flow and gain momentum by connecting the play from front to back,” Kerr said .
Understand that Hield is, like Thompson, a consistent scorer. He will have slow games and scorching performances. If this is the Warriors roster, they have to accept it and hope the balance changes.
Clarity is one thing, comfort is another.
