It certainly wouldn’t have qualified as “rocket science,” but after misfiring on its first 10 3-pointers on Opening Night, the Golden State Warriors stumbled upon a working strategy: introducing the NBA’s No. 1 3-point producer over the last eight seasons. Verifying himself as a hand-in-glove fit from the moment a hand wasn’t in his face, Buddy Hield hustles through the motions of Golden State’s heavy-pass, heavy-movement offense, ultimately finding the ball near the left wing. Precise in timing a dribble that puts Kris Murray through a difficult pick-and-roll puzzle, Hield, finally free, unloads an off-balanced trifecta, tying a low-scoring game in the first frame. In roughly the same amount of time that it takes to bake pizza, Hield burned the Portland Trail Blazers’ defense similarly, netting 22 points (on 8-of-12), alongside five rebounds, one assist, and five 3-pointers in just 15 minutes. Producing a +21 plus-minus over that span, Hield played an immeasurable role in the Warriors’ largest season-opening win in franchise history on October 23, 2024. · Oct 24, 2024