‘Buddy’ catches fire to make eight threes, defeats Jones’ Hornets

For the second time this season, two Bahamians faced off against each other in the National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season. The Sacramento Kings’ Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield and the Charlotte Hornets’ Kai Jones faced off at the Golden I Center in Sacramento, California, on Friday.

Hield hit a barrage of eight three-pointers to finish with a game-high 26 points off the bench in a 140-110 Kings (5-4) blowout of the Hornets (5-5). Jones played just under two minutes in the game and finished scoreless.

Hield was brilliant from the field making 50 percent of his shots from the field as he finished 9-for-18. His eight made three-pointers came from 17 attempts where he finished at a 47.1 percent clip. He also had three rebounds and four assists.

The Grand Bahamian’s eight treys helped his team to finish with a franchise record 22 three-pointers.

The Kings won by 30 points but the game saw four early lead changes. The last time the Hornets led in the game was at the 9:46 mark in the first quarter when they were up 8-7. The Kings took the lead for good on a Mo Harkless three-point shot to put them up 10-8. That shot was the beginning of a 14-2 run and had the Kings up 21-10 at the 5:57 mark in the first quarter.

Hield checked into the game at the 6:16 mark. He got on the scoreboard at the 4:43 mark with his first shot attempt to put his team up 29-15 with a trey.

At the end of the first quarter, the Kings held a comfortable 41-22 lead. They went on to outscore the Hornets 33-31 in the second quarter to take a comfortable 74-51 lead heading into the half.

After going into the fourth quarter, 106-89, the Kings, led by Hield, went off on the Hornets. He scored 12 points and went 4-for-5 from deep in that quarter. His first make in that quarter came with 7:43 left on the clock to put his team up 114-96 as the arena erupted. He came back at the 7:03 mark and put his team back up 117-98 to put the game away even further.

Jones checked into the game for LaMelo Ball with 1:56 left in the game. Hield and Jones took the floor against each other for the first time in the NBA.

After time expired, the two Bahamians met by the three-point line and shook hands. They spoke for a little bit as Hield appeared to offer some advice to Jones, who kept nodding.

Gordon Hayward led the Hornets with 25 points.

The first meeting between Bahamians this season came on October 27 when Hield and the Kings defeated DeAndre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns 110-107. These two will face each other again tonight if Ayton is cleared to play after missing his last game because of a bruised lower right leg. That game starts at 10 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Kings were in action again at home when they played the Indian Pacers. No scores were available at press time.

Jones and the Hornets remained on the road. They faced the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. No scores were available at press time.

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