Buddy Hield scored 24 of his game-high 27 points in the first half of Golden State’s 127-86 win against the Jazz in Utah on Friday night.
Hield has led the Warriors in scoring in both of their first two games, combining for 49 points in his first two outings with the franchise. The Warriors have beaten their first two opponents by an average margin of 38.5 points, the highest in NBA history to begin a season.
Buddy Hield led the Warriors in points (22) and made threes (5) in his Warriors debut and eclipsed both totals in the first half of Friday’s contest.
After another slow start for the Dubs, Hield was again a spark plug off the bench, scoring eight points in his first stint, part of a 21-5 Warriors run. He finished the half with 24 points and six made threes, shooting 9-for-11 from the field and 6-for-7 from behind the arc.
Hield moved to 21st on the NBA’s all-time made 3-pointers list and set an NBA record for the most made 3-pointers through two games with a new team (12). He also contributed in other ways, dishing out six assists, including an alley-oop to Jonathan Kuminga, sparked by jumping in front of the passing lane for a steal.
The Warriors jumped out to a 24-point lead after three quarters (94-70). The Dubs outscored the Jazz 38-28 in the third quarter and shot 55.6 percent from the field, holding Utah to 34.6 percent.
Stephen Curry scored 13 points in the frame and made five of the team’s 15 field goals. Curry finished with 20 points in 27 minutes, again getting to rest the entire fourth quarter.
Trayce Jackson-Davis has made 11 straight field goals to begin his sophomore season, shooting 5-for-5 in the season opener and 6-for-6 on Friday. Jackson-Davis set a franchise record for the highest single-season field goal percentage (minimum 300 FGA) last season, surpassing JaVale McGee’s 65.2 FG% in 2016-17.
Two of Jackson-Davis’ six made field goals on Friday were alley-oop slams, one assisted by Draymond Green and the other from De’Anthony Melton, with whom he developed a strong rapport from preseason.
The Warriors will host the Los Angeles Clippers in their home opener on Sunday (5:30 p.m. PST).
