Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield became an NBA record-setter by scoring the fastest three-pointer on record, three seconds into play.
This came to pass in Indianapolis as part of a December 2022 game with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The play was unexpected as Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen won the initial tip but nudged the ball backwards, straight into Hield’s hands. Standing beyond the arc, Hield received the pass, pivoted, and fired.
The ball swished through at 11:57, still registered on the first-quarter clock. Pacers big man Myles Turner provided the assist.
This has to be the quickest 3-pointer in NBA history pic.twitter.com/tmHDjiK6PC
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) December 30, 2022
Hield’s shot topped the former record achieved by Pacers legend Reggie Miller. Miller made it with four seconds remaining to start a contest against the Golden State Warriors in March 2000. (Formal play-by-play statistics, required to validate this record, only went into existence with the 1996-97 NBA season).
This record-breaking basket presaged Hield’s hot three-point shooting that evening. Hield, who is now on the Warriors, went 5-of-6 from three-point land and totaled 25 points. Hield, at that point, was leading the entire league in made three-pointers for the entire campaign.
The Pacers won 135-126, and teammate Aaron Nesmith spoke about their shooting:
“You can’t ask for much better shooting than that,” Nesmith said, per ESPN. “They shoot the ball like that, it’s going to be tough to beat us any night.”
The NBA’s official X page also reacted in fun way and wrote:
“Why the rush, Buddy?”
Why the rush, Buddy? 😅
— NBA (@NBA) December 30, 2022
Instant action on the NBA App: https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/5w3JSd8fEZ
Buddy Hield’s record might be exceptionally difficult to break for a few key reasons
Buddy Hield’s record for the quickest three-pointer in the history of the NBA could be exceptionally challenging to break due to several key reasons, the sources said.
For starters, the series of events off the opening tip was very distinctive. Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen tipped the ball off to the other side but knocked it backwards and straight into Hield’s hands. That placed Hield so he could easily shoot a three immediately. According to SBNation.com, Hield was perfectly positioned to shoot a three after receiving the ball off the initial tip.
Second, Hield’s response and release were lightning-fast. He grabbed the ball, spun, and launched it in one motion, wasting no time at all. The instant catch-and-shoot is marked as an important contributor to setting the record so early into the game.
Thirdly, given typical team alignment for the opening tip, it is difficult to envision a situation where a player might be able to find an open three-point opportunity sooner. The convergence of a great tip and an immediate shot renders Hield’s record especially difficult to overcome. As SBNation.com reported:
“It’s pretty hard to imagine that it’s physically possible to hit a three-pointer any sooner into a game than Hield did against the Cavs”.
Thus, the extraordinary nature of the tip-off along with Buddy Hield’s quick reflexes provide an elevated expectation that other players might find difficult to match.
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