2 Studs, 1 dud from Indiana Pacers bounce-back win over Detroit Pistons
By Jack Simone
Dud - Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield was recently reinserted into the Indiana Pacers starting lineup, and it’s not hard to see why, as when he’s on, he’s one of the best three-point shooters in the league.
Bennedict Mathurin has been having an up-and-down season, and placing Hield into the starting lineup gave the Pacers a bit more floor-spacing while also allowing Mathurin to return to a role he’s familiar with.
Unfortunately, Hield wasn’t great in the Pacers’ win over the Detroit Pistons, but a quick glance at the box score wouldn’t necessarily tell that story to someone who didn’t watch the game.
Hield ended the game against Detroit with 18 points and four rebounds while shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-6 from behind the three-point arc. He played 28:02 of action.
However, while his counting stats and efficiency seem solid, Hield was a -7 on the night and was the only Pacers player who recorded a negative +/- in the game.
The reason? His defense. Hield has never been a great defender, and that fact showed up in this game. He just wasn’t able to stay in front of guys, and it was hurting an already poor Pacers defense.
Hield didn’t even end up playing in the fourth quarter, demonstrating how much he was struggling. Not a great night for the veteran.