The Golden State Warriors will return home to The Bay with a 1-0 record after their season opening win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. In the victory, Buddy Hield reminded everyone just how different this team can look when he is knocking down his shots and being a major contributor offensively.
Hield finished the game at Crypto.com Arena with 17 points, the most of anyone off the bench. In just 22 minutes, he went 6-for-11 from the floor and made five of his 10 three-point attempts. He was a clear-cut secondary scoring option in this one, tying Jonathan Kuminga for the third-highest scoring mark of any player on the roster.
With Buddy scoring efficiently and knocking down shots from distance, Golden State's spacing of course naturally opened up additional driving lanes for Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Throughout the first half of the third quarter, the Warriors went on an 18-4 run, which was largely sparked by them leveraging the extra space on the floor that Hield's shooting created for them. The Dubs were able to quickly begin to turn what was a tight contest into a more comfortable lead.
When Buddy Hield is on, it's a game-changer
Hield's five three-pointers were tied for the second most by a Warriors reserve in a season opener. It was the kind of high-level shooting performance that reminded us of how talented he is, and emphasized the overall point that when he is at his best, the Warriors' offensive ecosystem naturally functions at a much higher level.
I believe it also speaks to what Steve Kerr and the coaching staff have been working on all summer. They're not just content with leaning completely on Curry and Butler for shot-making. Instead, they're going to be more than willing to trust these role players and bench guys where they can.
This is the method you have to adhere to if you're Golden State this season. Your stars, while great, need to know they can rely on their supporting cast to do their part as well. This was just one game, but if the Warriors are going to be on top level of championship contenders this season, they are going to do it while relying on secondary scores like Hield being reliable on a nightly basis. Because when he is making shots, Golden State does truly look like a different team.