The regular season is spicing up. Head Coaches trying to put pressure on their opponents just before games. When Klay Thompson committed to the Dallas Mavericks in early July, it became clear to many of the loyal ones too that the Golden State Warriors’ ten-year reign had officially come to an end, regardless of how they performed in the 2024-25 season and beyond. This left a lot of questions to be answered, as this was the first Steve Kerr was left without Thompson.
In a major 4-team deal that eventually sent Thompson to Dallas, Golden State pushed hard to bring Paul George and Lauri Markkanen to San Francisco. But it was not meant to be. The arrival of Buddy Hield from the Sixers has been amazing for the Warriors. He’s already being compared to Klay and even being called the “Splash Buddies” alongside Stephen Curry. But such comparisons add to the pressure to perform.
With the Warriors on the road to play the Houston Rockets, Ime Udoka has said, “Klay Thompson all over again, that’s how they’re using him,” per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Meanwhile, Steve Kerr has been very cautious about his statements, maybe to protect Hield.
“I think it’s uh the uh, off ball movement Buddy’s like Klay, you know, great great at catching and shooting off screens at pin Downs, Also very similar demeanor. Very, very much just unconscious as a shooter doesn’t have a, the long memories. Uh, you know, I’ve seen them twice now in games already and only five games turn bad shooting nights into good ones because he just kept going, kept shooting, kept running. And so, I really admire buddy’s mentality his, the pace that he plays with. He’s, he’s been fantastic to coach.” This is what Kerr had to say about Buddy, avoiding direct comparisons with Thompson.
This is a developing story…
The post Rockets HC’s Mindgame on Buddy Hield Smartly Evaded by Steve Kerr Amid Rampant Klay Thompson Comparisons appeared first on EssentiallySports.
