Buddy Hield Keeps Bench Role in Sixers’ Rematch vs. Knicks

For the second game in a row, Buddy Hield came off the bench for the Philadelphia 76ers.

On Sunday night, the Philadelphia 76ers rolled out a different starting five. For the first time since landing with the Sixers, the veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield came off the bench.

After the game, Nick Nurse explained his reasoning behind Hield’s revised role on Sunday.

“I just felt like he needed a different look," Nurse told reporters after the game. "Just something to get him going. Gameplans have been pretty focused on him. Sometimes, you can hide guys on the bench a little bit. You can sneak them in there and get them going.”

There were no hard feelings from the veteran guard. While Hield’s move to the bench came as a bit of a shock on Sunday, he embraced the role change, and had one of his better performances as of late in a tough Atlantic Division battle.

“Nick did a great job of putting me in good spots tonight,” Hield told reporters on Sunday night. “It’s not about starting or coming off the bench. I think everybody has done that since I came here, so whatever he wants, we go with, and we trust whatever decision he makes.”

Checking in for 26 minutes off the bench, Hield was efficient from the field, knocking down six of his nine shots, and averaging 67 percent from beyond the arc. He scored 16 points, along with seven rebounds and three assists in the six-point victory over New York.

Seeing the way Hield thrived on Sunday night, Nick Nurse opted to roll with a similar rotation on Tuesday, even with the return of Tyrese Maxey. 

Overall, the Sixers struggled on the offensive end of the floor, and Hield wasn't an outlier. In 24 minutes of action, the veteran attempted 11 shots from the field, with seven of them coming from deep. Hield shot just 36 percent from the field and missed all but one of his seven threes. He scored nine points, along with four rebounds and four assists.