OKC Thunder: Josh Giddey Playing His Best Month of the Season in March
Josh Giddey has seen criticism of all ranges this season.
In his third year at 21 years old, it was expected that he'd make a leap in at least one aspect of his game this season – as a slasher, shooter, playmaker or even defender.
But his production for this team over halfway through the year hasn't really touched his overall contribution from last season, where he put up nearly 17 points a night along with six assists and eight rebounds.
Some had called for him to be benched, and some had called for him to be traded before the deadline.
Personally, a three-year leap as a playmaker is what I thought would've transpired in his role. With a much deeper lineup this season, it's been speculated that his starting spot should be supplanted by a more efficient surrounding piece like Isaiah Joe or rookie Cason Wallace.
Nonetheless, he's still started all 64 games he's competed in this season, as he's yet to ever come off the bench in 194 games for Oklahoma City.
Through those 64 contests, he's averaging a career-low in points, rebounds and assists in 24.7 minutes per game, the lowest in all of his three seasons.
His role hasn't necessarily decreased largely having stripped around seven minutes from his average from the previous year, but it's been seen from head coach Mark Daigneault that disseminating minutes elsewhere is more advantageous for his rotations throughout the night.
And oftentimes Daigneault has not placed Giddey out on the floor in crunch time. With teams having burly, physical bigs not respecting Giddey's ability to shoot, it sort of leaves him in no man's land if he can't figure out how to move without the ball or attack the paint accordingly. Though, even through the disrespect he's been shown, he's averaging a career-high 33% from three on the season.
But entering the final stretch of the season with 17 games to go, he's finally found what works for him offensively. Which, when playoff time is here, it'll be interesting to see how Daigneault manages teams who decide to lag off of Giddey once he shores up his rotations.
Regardless, it's refreshing to see Giddey playing his best month of basketball on the season as the team prepares for the postseason.
In March, he's averaging season-highs nearly all across the board. 14.0 points on 55.2% from the field and 41.2% from three and 6.3 rebounds throughout six contests, Giddey is finding his offensive rhythm at a very opportune time. He's understanding how to not be limited to his fate along the 3-point line, which has seen him with the most minutes he's seen in the last three months.
Giddey's consistency has not been there this season, but the start of this month as been a different story. Carrying this momentum into the playoffs is vital, so seeing what he can do in the Thunder's final 17 games.
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