Hield scores 21, Kings beat Bulls to snap 6-game skid
CHICAGO >> After being pulled from the starting lineup, Buddy Hield proved his value to the Sacramento Kings.
Hield scored 21 points, Harrison Barnes added 19 and Sacramento beat the Chicago Bulls 9881 on Friday night to snap a sixgame losing streak.
In 23 minutes off the bench, Hield was 7 for 12 from the field — including 5 of 9 on 3-pointers.
“I’ve got to give Buddy a lot of love,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “What he did throughout the game, that third quarter when they went on a run, he really kept us in it.
“For him to be all about the team after we took him out of the starting lineup shows a lot, says a lot about him.”
Even though Walton tried to make it clear the move wasn’t intended to punish the team’s lead
ing scorer, Hield acknowledged it was a challenge to view it that way.
“Of course, as a competitor you want to figure out what’s the reason for that,” he said. “You never get a straight, clear-cut answer. But as a player, as a professional, you have to go in there, lock in and just do it.
“When he calls your number, just produce. That’s all you can do.”
De’Aaron Fox had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Kings led virtually wire-to-wire.
Zach LaVine scored 21 for the Bulls, who had won four of seven. Chicago was 8 for 37 (21.6%) on 3-pointers.
The Bulls played without forward Lauri Markkanen, who will miss four to six weeks with a right hip injury. The 7-footer from Finland had an MRI on Thursday after experiencing soreness for about a week. He had played in all 46 games this season before Friday, averaging 15 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Without Markkanen on the court, LaVine was more of a focus for the defense.
“I had to adjust going into the third quarter, but in the first quarter it seemed like I would drive and there would be somebody in the middle, so you swing it,” said LaVine, who was 8 for 21 from the field. “I still think I missed some easy ones. I’m used to it.”
The Kings used a run of 11 straight points in the second quarter to snap a 33-all tie and take a 54-44 halftime lead.
Chicago opened the second half with a 12-2 run to tie the score at 56.