Buddy Hield Taking the Bay by Storm

On Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors took down the Houston Rockets in overtime on the road in front of a lively crowd inside Toyota Center.

This victory leaves the Warriors with a 5-1 record on the season, despite superstar Stephen Curry missing a few contests due to injury. This hot start for the Dubs is exactly what they need to make themselves competitive in a cut-throat Western Conference.

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One individual who deserves a fair amount of credit for the Warriors’ early success is Buddy Hield.

Buddy’s Instant Impact

In six contests for the Warriors, Hield has registered 22.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting a 51.7% clip from behind the arc. He’s doing all of this at just over 25 minutes per contest.

Granted it’s a small sample size, and his numbers will likely level out some with Stephen Curry’s return to the lineup, but Hield has been torching opposing teams for the Warriors so far this season.

Players with 30+ threes in their first six games of a season in NBA history:

🎯 Stephen Curry (5x)
🎯 Buddy Hield (this season) pic.twitter.com/PKyjmqhFhT

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 3, 2024

Coming into the year, many speculated who would fill the offensive workload previously held by Klay Thompson. Five games into the 2024-25 season, and it seems like Buddy Hield is emerging as someone who could help fill that role. Whether coming off the bench as a microwave scorer or in the starting rotation, Hield’s impressive long-range shooting adds another interesting layer to an already potent Warriors’ offense.

Looking Ahead for Hield, Golden State

The Warriors currently sit in third position atop the NBA’s Western Conference. While they’re already on a hot streak, they can’t take their foot off the gas.

In the coming weeks, the Warriors will face some of the best the league has in the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics. The Warriors’ offensive capabilities will be tested against these teams and Hield’s impact will certainly be needed during those affairs. These match-ups could be pivotal for the Warriors down the stretch.

In the last two seasons, the Warriors’ playoff seeding was decided by a single game, showing just how important each contest’s result can be in the current NBA landscape. As for now, the Warriors travel to Washington DC to face the Wizards on Monday, who sit at 2-3 on the year.

Hield’s hot start to the season has been quite impressive, and there’s no doubt the talented veteran will look to keep things rolling moving forward. While this NBA season is still in the early stages, one thing has become very clear: Buddy Hield has taken the Bay Area by storm.