Bahamian NBA Players Make Debuts

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Bahamian NBA players Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers, Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns and Kai Jones of the Charlotte Hornets all made their 2022-23 NBA season debuts last night.

Buddy Hield scored 16 points on 6-16 shooting while going 4-11 from three to go along with 10 rebounds and 3 assists as his Pacers lost to the Washington Wizards, 114-107.

Tyrese Halliburton, who was traded from the Sacremento Kings along with Hield, added 26 points and 7 assists. Bradley Beal led the attack for the Wiz, scoring 23 points to go with 6 assists while Kyle Kuzma added 22 points and 13 rebounds. 

Deandre Ayton and his Suns pulled out a come-from-behind victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

In a repeat of last year’s conference semifinals where the Suns were upset by the Mavs, Ayton scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for an an ultra-efficient 8-11 shooting night, while All-Star guard Devin Booker scored 28 points and dished out 9 assists. MVP hopeful Luka Doncic scored 35 points to go with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. 

Ayton’s team was down for almost the entirety of the night, being in a 22-point-deficit early in the 3rd quarter. With eight minutes left in the game they were down by 93-80, nevertheless they persisted allowing backup guard, Damion Lee to hit a three pointer that would give the game it’s final score with 9.7 seconds left. 

Kai Jones of the Charlotte Hornets played four minutes in a 129-107 rout of the San Antonio Hornets.

His only score came on a corner 3 with less than three minutes left in the game.

Terry Rozier of the Hornets had 24, 6 and 6 while Keldon Johnson of the Spurs led the way with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists.