Buddy Hield frustrated, calls out ‘trust issues’ after Kings' latest loss
Buddy Hield isn’t happy.
After Thursday night’s loss, it’s easy to see why.
The Sacramento Kings fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-104 in double overtime at the Golden 1 Center — a win that snapped an 11-game losing skid for the Timberwolves even without star big man Karl-Anthony Towns available due to a knee injury.
Hield wasn’t in the game much in the end, either. He played in just four minutes in the fourth quarter and just 71 seconds in the first overtime. Hield was in for the second overtime, but his last-second shot attempt was just off the mark.
The loss marked the fifth straight for Sacramento, and its sixth loss in seven games.
“Seems like we’re all over the place — coaches and everybody,” Hield said, via the Sacramento Bee. “Trust issues going on, I guess. Guys stop believing in players. It is what it is. They have who they have playing out there and I just have to be supportive.”
What exactly are the “trust issues” Hield is talking about?
“I don’t know,” Hield said, via the Sacramento Bee. “I like to be on the court. That’s why I’m on the court, right? I want to make plays, make shots. I feel like I wasn’t trusted the past two games to be on the court.”
A rough night, stretch for Hield
To be fair, Hield was having a rough night offensively.
He finished the night with 17 points, but went just 6-of-20 from the field and 3-of-11 from the 3-point line. The team wasn’t much better collectively, either, shooting just 34.6 percent from the field and less than 24 percent from behind the arc.
Hield’s shooting woes have been a consistent trend in the Kings’ latest losing streak, too, with him shooting 30 percent or worse in four of their last five losses.
Kings coach Luke Walton has been benching Hield recently near the end of games, too, generally amid his offensive struggles — which gives the perception that Walton doesn’t trust Hield.
Hield has averaged 20.2 points, five rebounds and 2.9 assists so far this season, his fourth in the league. He agreed to a four-year, $86 million extension earlier this fall, too
Though Hield and the Kings are fighting to snap the league’s longest playoff drought, which dates back to 2006, Walton isn’t concerned about the former Oklahoma standout.
He says his shot will come back.
“We’re going to keep doing our job trying to get him open and he’s gotta keep doing his job of shooting it,” Walton said, via the Sacramento Bee. “Buddy’s a great shooter, and those will eventually start going in again more often than not.”
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