The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN National Basketball Association (NBA) pros got their 2024-25 regular season started with mixed results on Wednesday night with their new teams.

Buddy Buckets was on full display in Chavano “Buddy” Hield’s debut with the Golden State Warriors. 

The Warriors toppled Deandre Ayton and the Portland Trail Blazers 139-104 at the Moda Centre in Portland, Oregon.

Buddy Hield went off for a team-high 22 points, five rebounds and one assist in the Bahamian versus Bahamian showdown. He was lethal from long range going 5-for-7 from three and 8-for-12 from the field in just 15 minutes of action.

Bahamian big man Ayton picked up where he left off last season with the double-doubles. He put up 10 points, 11 boards, two dimes and two steals. He shot 5-for-12 from the field.

The game had reached a stalemate of 21-21 at the end of the first period. The Warriors ramped up the offensive intensity in the second quarter to pull ahead 62-50 at the half.

Buddy Hield made a two-pointer and put the Warriors in the driver’s seat in the third period 88-63. After this point, the game was out of reach for the Trail Blazers.

Stephen Curry was one rebound shy of a triple double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine rebounds.

Kai Jones was back on the floor in the NBA regular season for the first time since the 2022-23 season  when he played for the Charlotte Hornets.

After strong preseason play, Jones logged 13 minutes and posted 6 points and four rebounds while shooting 60 per cent from the field for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers fell to the Phoenix Suns 116-113 in an OT thriller at the newly-built Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

With the game tied at 101 apiece following a two-pointer by James Harden, he got to the free throw line and made both free throws.

Phoenix superstar Kevin Durant nailed a 15-foot two pointer to tie the game. Harden let the clock wind down to end regulation but was unsuccessful on his final attempt to win the game.

The Suns outscored the Clippers 13-10 in OT to seal the win.

National team player Eric “EJ” Gordon had a slow night in his Philadelphia 76ers debut against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Sixers were missing the services of Paul George and Joel Embiid and fell to the Bucks 124-109.

Gordon played 22 minutes and scored just two points in the Sixers season opener. He went 1-for-6 and 0-for-2 from deep.