What We Learned as Hield's Historic Start Fuels Warriors vs. Jazz Win

Box score

The Warriors have taken the NBA by storm.

Well, at least the teams working in Portland and Utah.

Golden State pulled off its second road blowout in a row with a 127-86 silence of the Jazz at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday night.

The Warriors have outscored their opponents 267-190 in their two season-opening wins. Their 77-point margin is the largest over the first two games of any team in NBA history.

Buddy Hield led the team in scoring for the second straight game with 27 points. Stephen Curry totaled 20, Brandin Podziemski added 15 and Trace Jackson-Davis added 12. Andrew Wiggins scored just eight points but grabbed a game- and career-high 13 rebounds.

Here are three takeaways from a game that was never in doubt after the first quarter:

friend bomb

Hield has been a Warrior for eight games, including six in the preseason. He is shooting an incredible 31-of-55 (53.4 percent) from beyond the arc. Unbelievable and showing no signs of cooling off.

Coming off the bench for the second straight game, Hield immediately lit up the Jazz, scoring 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting in 14 first-half minutes, including 6-of-7 from deep.

Hield's 27 points came on 10-14 shooting from the field, including 7-of-9 from distance. Through two games, he has 49 points in 35 minutes while shooting 18-of-26 overall and 12-of-16 from beyond the arc.

Restless, isn't it?

After the opening night win in Portland, Hield said he hasn't felt so free in an offense since he left the University of Oklahoma eight years ago. He shot 45.7 percent from deep as a senior.

Such precision is unlikely in today's NBA, but anything close to it would have Golden State's front office dancing in the streets.

The bench caught fire again

For the second straight game, Golden State's starting lineup fell behind early, trailing by eight in the first three minutes. It took a few more minutes to find anything remotely resembling a rhythm.

It also took a push from the bench bunch, which came in hot, playing faster, making shots and even setting some traps on defense.

Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and Podziemski and Hield were the primary players who finished the first quarter with a 21-5 run over the final five minutes. This was enough to change the temperature of the building.

Two nights after the Warriors' bench bunch outscored the Trail Blazers 71-37 in Portland, they went 80-49 over the Jazz reserves. In addition to Hield and Podziemski, Moses Moody also reached double figures with 12 off the bench.

Coach Steve Kerr's concept of playing a fully active roster was again a resounding success. Just as 14 players participated on opening night, 14 were used this night.

A trace of perfection

Trace Jackson-Davis, who started 16 games last season, has made his first two starts this season and things are going very well for the Warriors.

Better yet for Jackson-Davis.

After scoring 14 points and shooting 5-of-5 from the field in the opener, he bounced back with 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting tonight. His 11 consecutive shots — mostly off lobs and within three feet of the rim — are providing a much-needed interior scoring presence.

Although Golden State's starting lineup snoozed early in each of the first two games and continues to experience spacing issues, Jackson-Davis is doing exactly what he's asked to do.

Protect the rim, set tough screens and be efficient in the paint. Perfection is the epitome of skill.

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