Josh Giddey in a 'Really, Really Good Place' as Thunder Battles For Top Seed

The Thunder guard is hitting his stride right when the Thunder needs it most.

The Oklahoma City Thunder is in the thick of a three-way battle for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. They're tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 50-22 record, just behind the 51-22 Denver Nuggets. With each of the three teams tied in the loss column, the final ten games of the regular season are going to be incredibly interesting to follow.

For the Thunder, playing their best basketball in the final ten games is incredibly important -- and not just for reasons surrounding the top seed in the Western Conference. The team is locked into postseason play, and will likely finish with a top three seed in the conference -- barring any substantial collapse. Playing their best basketball will be huge for any postseason run.

Thunder guard Josh Giddey is setting the standard in doing so. He's playing his best basketball of the season during this final stretch of the regular season. The emergence of Jalen Williams and addition of Chet Holmgren has left Giddey's role with the team questionable, but his recent improved play only raises the team's ceiling heading into the playoffs.

"We're a winning team. I'm in a really, really good place. I've got great people around me," Giddey said after the team's loss on Wednesday. "You're gonna have ebbs and flows as a young player in your career and in the season and it's just how well we can manage the highs and lows and stick with it."

For Giddey to bounce back for the season is incredible. There were times it seemed as if Giddey might be unplayable. Teams were guarding him from the paint, clogging the driving lanes for a team that heavily relies on paint touches and shot attepempts around the rim. Now, the 6-foot-8 guard is shooting at a much better clip with plenty more confidence.

The Australian guard is playing with a confidence level that we saw flashes and potential of a season ago. He posted 31 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the team's loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, which followed up a 25-point outing on Tuesday in New Orleans.

It's clear Giddey understands players will have ups-and-downs, but he seems to have stayed grounded and this is ultimately paying off for him as a player. His performance in the postseason will be interesting to see after he's seemingly catching fire at the perfect time.

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