Boston Celtics journalist Jared Weiss from The Athletic didn’t hold back in criticizing Buddy Hield for his ill-advised game-tying shot attempt in the final moments of the Philadelphia 76ers’ devastating 118-115 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 6.
Hield, with more than three seconds left, chucked up a shot from well beyond the three-point line without properly setting his feet or squaring up to the basket. It was the kind of shot you might expect to see with mere milliseconds remaining, and unsurprisingly, it missed, sealing the Sixers’ fate. Despite a solid 20-point performance off the bench, with 17 of those points coming in the second quarter, Hield’s decision-making ultimately cost his team the game.
Weiss didn’t hesitate to call out Daryl Morey for trading for the 31-year-old shooter, only for Hield to make such a critical blunder in a playoff elimination game.
“Trading for Buddy Hield only to see him throw up that kind of shot with the season on the line is nothing short of disappointing,” Weiss tweeted.
Looking ahead to the offseason, the Sixers have plenty of questions to answer, including potential roster changes. While a move to acquire Jrue Holiday from the Celtics seemed like a possibility before he re-signed with his current team, Philadelphia will now need to explore other options to improve their roster.
Unfortunately, the free agent market doesn’t offer many enticing choices for the Sixers. Players like Paul George and DeMar DeRozan might be available, but fit and financial concerns could complicate any potential deals. With limited options and uncertainties surrounding their current roster, the Sixers face a challenging offseason ahead.
Ultimately, Hield’s costly mistake in Game 6 may have irreparably altered the trajectory of the Sixers’ postseason aspirations.
