Buddy Hield 14 points vs Hornets (Jan 17, 2026): 2nd-best of 36 games
14 PTS · 5-of-8 FG · 2-of-5 3P · 2-of-2 FT · 17:42 MIN
Usual before this game: 7.2 PTS · 6.4 FGA · 16.8 MIN, from 35 regular-season games
2nd-best Game Score of 36 games this season: 16.1 against a usual 5.0 (+11.1)
above usual
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Buddy Hield score 14 points?
Buddy Hield scored 14 points against the Hornets on Jan 17, 2026 in 17:42: 5-of-8 from the field, 2-of-5 from three (40.0%), 2-of-2 on free throws. Before this game, Hield averaged 7.2 points on 6.4 shots in 16.8 minutes across 35 regular-season games. This game had the 2nd-best Game Score of 36 games this season. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 6 (2.6), threes 6 (4.1), free throws 2 (0.5). Hield played 17:42 against a usual 16.8 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 32.7, against a usual 10.8. Hield had 2 steals and 3 blocks, against a usual 0.8 and 0.1. At home against the Hornets, the Warriors won 136-116, a 20-point win. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Hield in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (35 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 17:42 | 16.8 | +0.9 |
| Points | 14 | 7.2 | +6.8 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 5-of-8 | 6.4 · 41.5% | +1.6 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 5 · 40.0% | 4.2 · 32.4% | +0.8 · +7.6 |
| FTA · FT% | 2-of-2 | 0.6 · 90.0% | +1.4 |
| Rebounds | 3 | 2.4 | +0.6 |
| Assists | 1 | 1.4 | -0.4 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1.0 | -1.0 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 35 games | 22.0 | 19.4 | +2.6 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 32.7 | 10.8 | +21.9 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (35 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 6 (2-of-5) | 4.1 (1.4-of-4.2) | +1.9 |
| Twos | 6 (3-of-3) | 2.6 (1.3-of-2.2) | +3.4 |
| Free throws | 2 (2-of-2) | 0.5 (0.5-of-0.6) | +1.5 |
| Total | 14 | 7.2 | +6.8 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
16.1 against a usual 5.0 (+11.1)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +6.7 |
| Rebounds | +0.7 |
| Assists | -0.2 |
| Steals and blocks | +3.2 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.7 |
| Total | +11.1 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
2nd-best Game Score of 36 games this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Warriors won 136-116 at home against the Hornets, a 20-point win.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Hornets this season.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.