2 Duds, 1 stud from Indiana Pacers ugly loss to Portland Trail Blazers

Dud - Buddy Hield

For the second game in a row, Buddy Hield failed to live up to the expectations that have likely been placed on him since being reentered into the Indiana Pacers’ starting lineup.

Hield was moved into the starting five, which meant Bennedict Mathurin, who was struggling himself, headed to the bench unit, where he spent most of last season.

And while Hield went through a hot streak of games while a member of the starting lineup, these last two games have been rough, and against the Portland Trail Blazers, Hield played poorly.

The veteran sharpshooter finished the game with just nine points to go along with one rebound, three assists, one steal, and one block. However, the worst part of his night was his shooting efficiency, as he shot just 3-of-10 from the field and 1-of-6 from behind the three-point line.

For a guy whose primary job is to take and make threes at a high clip, Hield failed miserably against the Trail Blazers, who, again, are one of the worst teams in the league.

And to make matters worse, Hield’s play on the defensive end also leaves much to be desired, so this was simply an all-around rough game for the veteran.