The Golden State Warriors’ move to acquire Buddy Hield via a sign-and-trade transaction with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024 was one many viewed as a way to boost Stephen Curry’s supporting cast on offense.
But on Monday night, against the Houston Rockets in a playoff game at Chase Center in San Francisco, the former Oklahoma Sooners star delivered not just offensively but also defensively for the Dubs, who eked out a 109-106 victory over Fred VanVleet and company to go up 3-1 in this first-round series.
So impressive was Hield in Game 4 that Golden State head coach Steve Kerr made a rare, if not unprecedented, speech in the locker room following the Warriors’ win.
Hey, fellas, I’m going to utter some words that have never been spoken before by anybody on earth,” Kerr started. “Buddy Hield, you set the tone defensively. “I’m going to say it again, though, before the end of the playoffs. You can guard, and you did that tonight.”
Steve Kerr in the locker room post game:
“Buddy Hield, you set the tone defensively. You can guard and you did that tonight” pic.twitter.com/Y9pfRzwUFe
— AK (@Sudharsan_AK10) April 29, 2025
The 32-year-old Hield has been trending up since a sluggish start in the Rockets series. After scoring just seven points in the first two games against Houston, Hield has put up 17 and 15 points in Games 3 and 4, respectively, while knocking down 40 percent of his attempts from deep. Additionally, he has five steals in the last two games.
In Game 4, Hield finished with a plus-17, tied with Warriors defensive stalwart Draymond Green for the best on the team.
Sustaining his solid form on offense and defense will be a challenge anew for the former first-round pick by the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, when the Warriors look to send Houston home and clinch a ticket to the second round of the playoffs.
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