The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Buddy Hield continues to have some of his best NBA performances in the state where he rose to national NCAA prominence in the NCAA with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Hield scored 34 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 119-116 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. He shot 12-22 from the field and also added five rebounds and four assists.

Hield, who starred for University of Oklahoma Sooners, was cheered loudly during pregame introductions. He attended the Sooners 69-67 win over the Texas Longhorns prior to his game against the Thunder.

“It’s special, I thank God every time. Oklahoma means a lot to me, coach Kruger and coach Crutch and the whole OU community had my back from day one. I thank God for putting Oklahoma in my life,” Hield said. “It’s a good place to come in when you’ve really got to lock in in Oklahoma. Just being here, I feel comfortable.”

Hield scored 18 points in the first half to help the Kings take a 63-49 lead at intermission.

After two-point losses to the top seeds in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets, the Kings got a much needed win against the third seeded Thunder.

“Big time win, big time win. We finished,” Hield said. “Our backs are against the wall, we know we are fighting for a playoff spot, we have to come into big time environments like this and find a way to come out with the win so this was big time for our team.”

The Kings (31-28) are currently ranked No.9 and trail the LA Clippers (33-28) and San Antonio Spurs (33-28) for the final playoff spot.

Hield also squashed any rumours of any lingering ill will between himself and Kings coach Dave Joerger following a public dispute and fallout of the Kings’ 125-123 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

“Oh my God, [Dave and I were] never on bad terms, you just want to start a story. Nah, man. I shot that thing today, that’s what I did. So it was good.”

Joeger also dismissed the incident as a non-factor in the team’s chemistry moving forward.

“I was a little animated at a time when the cameras are really on you and you’re kind of out there. That stuff shouldn’t happen out in front of people. “Those kinds of things do happen and they’re resolved when it’s over,” Joerger said. “What happens on the court happens on the court.

“Things are said, and I love him to death, and we’ve got a great group of guys with good chemistry. We get along really well.”