Josh Giddey, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard, has had an eventful season.
The 21-year-old has been through it all, from coming off a successful performance for Australia in the FIBA World Cup, which raised expectations, to starting slow and then dealing with off-court claims that have given him a permanent spot in the terrible mind-frames of male fans.
He has overcome the most of his non-basketball difficulties, but he is far from free of them on the floor. In fact, as the Thunder prepare to face the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 on the road, he may be a major topic of discussion in terms of game strategy.
In fact, the logical solution for the Thunder could be to bench Giddey totally.
Should Giddey sit?
Josh Giddey has played 80 games this season, averaging 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. He’s declined in all three categories from last year, bringing him closer to his rookie season averages despite playing more games.
Giddey’s shooting percentages from behind the arc and from the floor have maintained close to last season’s levels, but when combined with the reductions in the other categories, a clear picture emerges: Giddey has not improved this season.
That’s what the numbers say. If you questioned Thunder coach Mark Daigneault about Giddey, he probably wouldn’t have many unfavorable comments. In fact, the coach has lauded the player numerous times this season.
“He’s got some swagger right now,” Mark Daigneault remarked of Giddey’s success in the New Year. “It’s a wonderful illustration of these guys; there will be many ups and downs for each individual player. Nobody’s going to have a linear progression.”
Not having a linear progression indicates that he has not improved.
That’s not to say he won’t continue to develop and be an asset for the Thunder — or another team if he decides to leave as his contract expires — but the question of where he fits in the long run isn’t what Oklahoma City should be concerned about. It is necessary to be concerned about his current situation.
So how does he do?
The results aren’t ideal. Giddey’s plus-minus in two games against the Mavericks is -27. In the first game, the Thunder dominated Dallas, although the guard had a -7. While he was on the court team Struggle.
In the second game, the Thunder suffered their first postseason loss. It couldn’t quite get over the hump and appeared to have met its equal, which was unusual for it. What about Giddey in that performance? A -20.
When Oklahoma City won, Giddey pulled it down. When it wasn’t, he didn’t help his cause, thus it’s unclear whether he should be given another chance.
Granted, Giddey hasn’t played much in either of the two games. However, while this may indicate that he is not fully to responsible for the Game 2 defeat, it also demonstrates that the Thunder would not be missing much without him on the court. It’s definitely something to ponder.
Defense will continue to be the most important factor for both sides to consider as the series progresses, but now, more than ever, finding methods to improve, no matter how small, is crucial.
