NEW YORK — For the first time as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Buddy Hield came off the bench. It turned out to be a good decision as he played a pivotal role in the Sixers' win over the New York Knicks.
In a game where it felt like neither team could score well, Hield scored 16 points and shot 6-9 from the field and 4-6 from deep. He notched 11 in the second half as the 76ers survived counters from the Knicks, helping Philly defeat its division rival for the first time this season. With Hield on the court, Philly posted a 112.5 offensive rating. No one else's minutes on either team resulted in a net rating that reached even 105.
“I just felt like he needed a different look tonight. Just something to get him going,” Nick Nurse said. “Game plans have been pretty focused on him and sometimes when you can hide guys on the bench a little bit, you can sneak him in there and get him going.”
Nick Nurse on the decision to bring Buddy Hield off the bench: pic.twitter.com/3hGgEIAcqV
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) March 11, 2024
Buddy Hield had been struggling pretty much since the All-Star break, reaching 15 points just once in nine games and shooting a horrid 29.7 percent on shots inside the arc. Especially with Tyrese Maxey out, Hield has struggled immensely to get clean looks. Since being an off-ball threat is his forte, having to do more on the ball has been a challenge too big for him. Especially with the shot-creating talent around him being so limited, the going has been quite rough.
Bumping Hield down on the Knicks' game plan by bringing him off the bench worked like a charm. He played freely, hunting spots to put up shots and taking on inferior defenders like Alec Burks.
“Nick did a good job of just putting me in good spots tonight. So it's not about starting or coming off the bench. Everybody, I think everybody, has done that since I came here,” Hield said. “So whatever he wants, we go with and we trust whatever decision he makes.”
Hield's game was interrupted by a collision with Jalen Brunson that sent him back to the locker room. He went back to the locker room for a hit and was cleared to play again but Nurse opted not to bring him back in. Hield said he was feeling good after the game. He still managed to play 26 minutes, making a massive impact in all of them. Kyle Lowry said that Hield “took on the challenge tonight coming off the bench and he came in there with some energy, enthusiasm.”
The 76ers have been changing their starting lineups a lot recently, moving guys around in search of the most optimal combinations. Kelly Oubre Jr. was moved to the bench to get him going like Hield was before being moved back into the starting five. Mo Bamba and Paul Reed have taken turns starting at center. With Philly having to make do with its limited roster, it can help to switch up the flow as often as possible.
“Sometimes you need change,” Buddy Hield said. “I don't know if it'll be permanent or not but sometimes, change is good,” Hield said, pointing again to how his teammates have come on and off the bench this season and saying that whether or not he does is “not an issue. We're NBA players and we figure out how to adjust.”
Hield toggled with coming off the bench this season with the Indiana Pacers, playing 24 of his 52 games with them this season as a reserve. Now with the 76ers, it's more about what he can do in his role than what his role actually is. Perhaps he might be best suited for the bench until Maxey returns. Regardless of where Nurse chooses to go, Hield is staying ready.
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