Josh Giddey Flourishes in Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Rookies Falter in Finals

After an eventful Friday evening, Thunder rookie Josh Giddey reentered the playing field for the Taco Bells Skills Challenge.

In the venture, three, three-member teams consisting of rookies Josh Giddey, Cade Cunningham, and Scottie Barnes, the Antetokoumpo brothers Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Alex Antetokounmpo, while Team Cavaliers, consisting of Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland rounded out the rotation.

The first-round of competition saw the rosters tackle three skill challenges, all worth varying points, to set the stage for a half-court battle in the championship round. In it, the top two teams following group stages nabbed a final bid.

To open the contest, a shooting stars event, worth 100 points, kicked off play. In commemoration of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary, five shots ranging from 1-to-5 points splattered the hardwood. In the battle, the team with the most collective points took it all.

Giddey opened the evening as the rookie teams’ primary shooter. In the contest, Giddey found his stride at the left side of the floor, splashing down three left corner threes, each worth four points, before sticking a pair of two-point mid-range jumpers to net 16 points.

The 19-year-old led the rookie team as a scorer as Cunningham added 10 points while Barnes placed a 2-of-8 clip for six points – netting the roster 32 points.

The Antetokounmpo brothers posted a collective 20 points.

Team Cavaliers starred in the shooting portion tallying 47 points to earn 100 contest points.

Catering towards guard play, the second challenge, the passing contest, handed teams 30 seconds to complete passes into three moving targets across the floor for two, four, and six points, respectively.

Josh Giddey’s prestigious playmaking permeated into the passing portion of play, as with an implemented three-man weave, Giddey racked up 36 of the trio’s 88 points.

Team Antetokounmpo carried on the one-man show as Giannis churned out 40 of his team’s 88 points.

Team Cavaliers faltered with a third-place 70 points.

After reviewing the total number of outlet passes made, Team Giannis broke the tiebreaker with Giddey’s group, earning the 100 points.

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