The game of basketball, like any sport, is often about what is going on in your mind as much as it is about what you are physically capable of. For Kevin Huerter, the start of this season has highlighted that.
The weight of expectations can be heavy, and for Huerter, so far, this season hasn’t been an easy journey mentally. “It’s a tough part about this life a lot of times, and it’s probably something I need to get better at,” Huerter confessed after the win over the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday. “Your happiness, in a lot of ways, is dictated based on how you perform on the court, in front of everybody else.” It’s a raw admission from an athlete in a starting lineup in the best basketball league in the world, a reminder that behind the scenes, players are humans and deal with the pressures of performing just like everyone else in their jobs.
Sunday’s game was an example of the redemption stories sports are packed full of. After facing skepticism during the preseason about his role in the starting lineup, and a shaky start in the first two games, Huerter demonstrated why he was such an important part of the Beam Team’s journey to relevance last season.
In overtime, and really throughout the win over the Lakers, he rose to the occasion. He delivered a pivotal three-pointer in overtime with 30 seconds left that helped seal the victory with De’Aaron Fox on the bench because of an ankle injury.
It also helped remove a big weight on his shoulders: “You could probably see the expression on my face [after he hit the shot]. It’s really not a secret,” Huerter remarked after the game, reflecting on how things have been going. “Small victories are what you look for in a long season. It was definitely a small victory.” Coming into the game, he was 3/15 from the field for the season and only played 15 minutes against the Golden State Warriors.
Though the three-pointer Sunday night garnered the spotlight, Huerter’s contributions extended beyond that. He finished the game with a commendable 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, boasting a +11 in the +/- column in 36 minutes. It was the rebounds, in particular, that caught the eye of head coach Mike Brown.
For Brown, while scoring is essential, it’s the complete contribution of a player that matters most, especially with this season’s focus on defense and physicality. Brown has been pushing Huerter to amplify his defensive game and make a mark in varied aspects of the game.
“I thought Kevin had a hell of a game. … He had seven rebounds and he had two big blocks. He got his blocks the right way. We always talk about rearview challenge if you’re in the area. And his two blocks, one big one for sure, was the definition of what a rearview challenge is. Then he had four assists and hit a big three, I think, on top of that,” Brown said. “I told him, keep shooting it. Just let it fly. And where he needs to lock in, and not just him, but where everybody needs to lock in is on the defense end of the floor. And if we’re defending the right way with a sense of physicality, a sense of urgency, then you’re going to have a chance to play.”
Huerter echoed this: “It’s doing everything else. That’s definitely been a big focus of mine.”
Huerter’s all-around effort was rewarded, with him being named the defensive player of the game by the team. It’s a reflection of his determination and the support he’s been receiving from teammates and coaching staff. “We have a high-character locker room, and so everyone supports each other,” Huerter shared, emphasizing the support and encouragement he has received from his team. “Sometimes you’re going through stuff, you need to hear that. You get to this level, obviously, you’re used to playing a certain way and your confidence can go up and down over the course of the season. And anybody needs just encouragement from teammates knowing you’re going to get back to yourself.”
Keegan Murray expected a game like this from his teammate. “I shot with him this morning, and I knew that he’d do something tonight, and he did that. As a team, we all had faith in him. I feel like the sky is the limit for him shooting-wise,” Murray said.
As the season unfolds, Huerter’s recent performance will hopefully help propel his confidence. With the reigning Coach Of The Year in his ear and the support of his teammates, ideally Huerter continues to deliver performances that result in DPOG chains, beams and wins.
He’ll have a lot more opportunities to shoot that shot with Fox gone for a bit. Let’s go Velvet!
Shooter’s gonna shoot, and Kevin is a shooter.
For me, his best moment was when he ripped a defensive rebound away from Davis. There was much fury and righteous anger in that board. It was a masterful flex at a critical moment in the game.
That was my favorite too. That and the block con Davis.
That was awesome. I’ll add he was more than a shooter in that game. He doesn’t put up hollow shooting stats like Buddy did. Huerter was second in rebounds with 7, had 4 assists, 2 blocks, and zero turnovers. That’s a nice stat sheet.
100 percent agree that Red Diva is better than Buddy Yield. No doubt about that. The reason McGenius pursued and acquired Huerter was the relative distinction, a fundamentally sound player versus not so much. But the Red Diva is NOT better than Duarte if and when Duarte can play his game without fouling. If Duarte can stay on the floor without fouling, he’s going to take the starting SG position.
Huerter developing into a 2 way contributor is essential to this team taking the next step. He doesn’t need to be the best on either end, he just needs to make opponents feel him.
He’s not capable of being a two-way player. I will settle for a one-way player, the best he has to offer, which we have yet to see since the last 4 games of last year. Since then he’s missing 80% of his 3s and offering sh**ty defense.
Red Diva is shooting 20% on his last 100 3s. Almost any player in the NBA, including Alex Len and Slawson, can make as many.
So happy for him (and us). I love that he got the DPOG chain. This team is in it “together”. Truly this team embodies this fan base. Gritty, tough, fun, and supportive of each other. Such an amazing feeling after the previous 16 years.
Uh, he was gifted the DPOG chain due to pity and wavering confidence. Do you not see that it was nothing more than token gesture to bolster a dude teetering?
The rear iew shot blocks are nothing special, give me a break! It is just a player taking advantage of another player (AD) being myopic in his intent to score.
Huerter lost his job, only reclaimed it due Duarte bone bruise, so the coaching staff “threw the dog a bone”, when in fact the real DPOG was Fox or Keegan.
Some people would call that seeing an opportunity and capitalizing on it, but I understand that this is something that only bad players do.
I don’t really care who starts at shooting guard, but the least you could do is actually make some sense in your arguments.
Derp, so you don’t care who starts at SG, you don’t care about maximizing the potential of the team? I don’t have time for silliness or respond to ego-based non-sense.
Why don’t you re-read every post I have ever made, 100,000 to 200,000 words or more, a lot of poetic prose, then get back to me, once you edifiy yourself.
I was the ONLY fan who advocated immediately for the Blockbuster Trade (Domas), the Superstar Inevitability of Fox and the Genius of McGenius.
I also could NOT wait to dispense of LOSERS like Bagley, Willie and Buddy, while the Diehards adhered to their false promise. I recall that ther was a post here entitled “the Redemption of Marvin Bagley”. What?! LOL.
Fans kept investing in losers, now they are like, “oh now I get it!” Now I get the difference between a winner and a non-winner. Too late, if you claim in advnace to know what you are talking about..
Do you want to know who else sucks? I am inclined to add McGee AND Huerter against my fan bias, emotion over objectivty. But I am able to set aside my bias, because I value truth over self-delusion.
Huerter is NOT good enough to get us where we want to be. Same for the center the Mavs cut one year into a 3 year deal.
I think McGee and Huerter are placeholders until we replace them with the players who will facilitate our ultimate goal.
Kevin Huerter, aka Red Diva, is a decent ball player, 60% TS% last year, modestly nice.
But there’s a difference between respectability (45 wins) and first round exit vs excellence (50+ wins) and WCF. And with Keegan leveling up, addition of Sasha, Fox lasering in from distance, running back with Tres and Monk, Kevin’s primary attribute is replaceable.
Kevin is better than Buddy, but that’s not enough. We did NOT advance to Round 2 last year because of Huerter. We lost Game 7 at home against a hated rival after leading at the halftime because of Huerter.
Do you want to argue this? Bring it. He failed us, the team and city. If he performed as he did with ATL @ PHI we play the Lakers, Instead we go home. Think about the magnitude of the moment that could have transpired if NOT for this choke artist. Does that mean we give up on him? NO. Adversity can inspire a person to new levels of competence. But we should shorten the lease and be recpetive to alternatives, which is exactly what this head coach has done.
Duarte is nipping at the heels of Huerter. From my perspective its only a matter of time before he incapicitates him, that is, sends him to the second team or beyond.
Sorry, this is where I stopped reading. Loquacity is not a synonym for perspicacity.
Curious to know what the coaches advise KH regarding his shot when it’s off–do they work on vision, footwork, shot mechanics? Same of course for Davion Mitchell, whose outside shot looks much better this season.
I’d wager they just tell him to keep shooting. His shots aren’t off, just near misses Quite a few seem to roll in and out.
Hitting a few 3’s in a game is not breaking out of his slump.
Sure helps.
No? What is – 3 games into this young season?
A. Trade him, he’s washed
B. Wait until he goes 6-7 or better one game and crown him “Red Klay” or “Velvet Curry”
C. Perhaps, wait for more time to pass, but this is a good step forward
D. He’s out of his slump, when I say he’s out of slump
Hoping this last game will be the start of Kevin Huerter finding his groove again. We’re gonna need him making his shots with Fox out the next week.
Dammit, why do these trades always happen in the Pacific Division? Harden off to the Clippers.
Because they fear “The Beam Team”.
I actually think this makes them worse.
Agreed. At this point Harden is poison. Chris Paul makes teams better. Harden and Kylie Irving make them worse—despite their wonderful talents.
True. I feel that every team Harden goes to he always will just end up demanding a trade.
Could be, but I’d say the addition of PJ Tucker is going to help the Clippers. Tucker, Powell, Mann, and Plumlee off the bench is a very solid 9 man rotation. It’s all going to come down to health for the Clippers. If healthy, I think they can win the Pacific.
So many stars in the Pacific Division. The entire all-star team is going to be Jokic with a bunch of Lakers, Clips, Suns, and Kings (hopefully).
The league needs to expand.
This headline is FAKE news. Huerter made 33% of his shots last game (4 for 12 FGs).
That is NOT breaking out of your slump, thats playing your way out of the league. LOL.
When the Red Diva makes 50% of his 3s in one game, on 8 to 10+ attempts, thats a slump buster. Until then, the guy is on a preciptous and disconcerting decline, who undoubtedly cost us a ticket to Round 2.
Huerter FAILED Domas and Fox in the playoffs, who played their heart and soul and body for us. It is to them, our All NBA-ers that I have loyalty and faith. Huerter, not so much.
When is the last time took a charge? Anyone? SAWFT!
Until Huerter gets his act together, which may happen as soon as tomorrow s GSW, he is not hopeless, he is just passing through on our path to dominance and dynasty.
As I see it, and for the Old-Timers, Huerter is the J-Will before Bibby replaces him.
I get it.
Badge Legend