The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

btubbs@tribujnemedia.net

CHAVANO ‘Buddy’ Hield has hit some big three-pointers during his eight years in the National Basketball Association. In fact, the Grand Bahamian now owns the Indiana Pacers’ single-season franchise record, surpassing legendary Reggie Miller.

But coming off his historic feat on Wednesday night in the Pacers 117-113 win over the Chicago Bulls just before he went to Salt Lake City, Utah, to participate in his third appearance in the National Basketball Association’s Starry three-point shooting, which was held as a part of the All- Star weekend.

After finishing third in the first round of the contest on Saturday night with 23 shots, including 13 of his last 16 shots and five of his money balls, Hield hit four of the five shots in the money-ball rack to push his total to 25.

But the 30-year-old Hield watched as Portland Trail Blazers sharpshooting guard Damian Lillard followed his performance, canning one shot more to finish with 26. Hield’s 22-year-old team-mate Tyrese Haliburton wrapped it up with 17 in his debut in the competition. While Hield fell short of adding to his title he won in 2020 with the Sacramento Kings, who traded him to Indiana this year, Lillard proved that the third time was the charm for ‘Dame Time’ as he finally got the coveted trophy for the first time for the Trail Blazers.

“The best shooters in the history of our game, most of them have one of these,” said Lillard, a seven-time NBA All-Star and a member of the US Tokyo Olympic gold medal team. To be in this competition a few times and not have one I just wanted to get it done at least one time.”

After finally getting to hoist the trophy in the air for the first time, the 32-year-old Lillard, who wore his jersey from Weber State where he played college basketball in nearby Ogden, Utah, said he was so happy that he got it, than now “I can retire from it.”

For Hield, he got the runner-up spot, beating out Haliburton.

The three-point contest consisted of five racks containing five balls apiece spaced around the 3-point line. Each rack contained four regular orange balls worth one point apiece, and one multi-coloured money ball, which is worth two points. There was also an all-money-ball rack, which was introduced in 2018.

The rack could be placed anywhere and consisted of five money balls, each worth two points. This year, for the first time, the league added two “Starry” balls, which are placed deep behind the 3-point line on each side of the middle rack past the top of the key.

The two balls are placed roughly 30 feet away from the basket and worth three points apiece. While he fell short of winning his second title, Hield has already established himself as one of the greatest three-point shooters in the NBA.

In December, in a 135- 126 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hield went into the record books for having hit the fastest three-pointer scored in a game. In one fluid three-second motion on a tip from Cavalier’s centre Jarrett Allen, Hield caught the ball and drilled the shot. It was another record that belonged to Miller that Hield broke. Miller, a 2012 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer turned TNT colour commentator, had set the initial record in 2000.

Hield, who canned his 230th 3-pointer for the season, is now one of two players to hold the 3-point record for two teams as his 282 in 2020-21 are the most by any player for Sacramento. The only other player to achieve such a feat is JJ Redick, who did it for Philadelphia (240, 2018- 19) and the Clippers (201, 2016-17).

Miller’s record broken by Hield came in the 1996-97 season when he played 81 games. Hield has played in all 60 of the Pacers games this season and still has 22 remaining to add to the record. He has made 42.6 percent of his attempts this season.

With All-Star weekend over, Hield and the Pacers will resume their regular season on February 24 when they host the Eastern Conference front running Boston Celtics, who are 42-17. Indiana is currently in 12th place with 26-34.