Josh Giddey betters Michael Jordan in staggering feat on NBA playoffs debut
The Oklahoma City Thunder left the NBA world in awe, with Josh Giddey unleashing his true potential against the Pelicans.
When Josh Giddey was picked sixth overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021, many NBA observers were intrigued, but had their doubts. Could this kid who came off the bench for the Adelaide 36ers really be the guy for a team searching to fill a void left by the three MVPs they once drafted?
In what was undoubtedly the biggest game of Giddey's burgeoning NBA career, the 20-year-old answered those questions in spades. Giddey was on fire in his postseason debut, dropping in 31 points, dishing 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds as the Thunder outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament on Thursday.
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The Thunder get the chance to sneak into the eighth and final playoff spot when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves for the privilege on Saturday. They wouldn't have gotten there without Giddey's masterful performance against the Pelicans, alongside leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32 points).
Giddey made a name for himself with some eye-popping stat lines in his rookie season, but proved definitively that he's no regular season sideshow in the play-in game. Three triples were the cherry on top of a sensational all-round performance from the Aussie phenom.
NBA veterans and fans alike were impressed by Giddey's display, with social media lighting up as the Thunder closed in on the win. Giddey's ability to control the pace of the game stood out, with many pointing to his experience in the NBL, where he was Rookie of the Year.
OKC with SGA wasn't an obvious destination for Giddey in 2021. Presti went Best Player Available and bet on Giddey's IQ/feel to take care of on-paper fit issues. That call at #6 will probably deserve a chapter in the Draft Stories history book based on where this team is going.
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) April 13, 2023
Giddey - that’s what you call a big game player. Sheesh! Is he gonna be our best ever?? Love it so much.
— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_Meadows) April 13, 2023
Josh Giddey is the youngest player in NBA history to score 30+ points in a postseason game.
Giddey breaks the mark in a play-in game at 20 years and 184 days old.
Derrick Rose holds the playoff record at 20 years and 196 days.— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) April 13, 2023
Hey Josh Giddey is good
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) April 13, 2023
It's too easy to automatically point to the 3-point shot for Josh Giddey, but his ability to score at the rim continues to be a growth point. Was 5-7 at the rim tonight and jumped to 62% in 2022-23 from 57% as a rookie. The 7 FTA equalled a career-high. BIG TIME performance.
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) April 13, 2023
Josh Giddey did a lot of great things tonight,
but 10 assists and just 2 turnovers in 41 minutes played in a high-intensity road playoff game is.. special.— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) April 13, 2023
The Thunder are going to be TOUGH. What they may lack in experience they made up for by competing at a high level, grit, team play… Shai & Giddey are very special. Lu Dort got heart. JDub a sleeper. They are avg age 23. Chet’s on the way getting healthy. Word to Presti 👀
— Ros Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) April 13, 2023
Remarkably, Giddey eclipsed several NBA greats in their post-season debuts. His 31 points were more than what the likes of Michael Jordan, Allan Iverson and Kevin Durant put up in their first games beyond the regular season. Thunder beat writer Rylan Stiles said Giddey had offered a glimpse of his potential in the playoffs.
“What Josh Giddey did was answer everyone’s question,” Stiles said on the Locked on Thunder podcast. "All of his career has been people talking about can he play in the playoffs, he’s not particularly great defensively, he can’t score, he can’t shoot … here it is, folks: he just has that it factor.
“I know we don’t like that, we want to quantify everything. We want to tangibly look at something and see why it’s working.
“But the bottom line is, Josh Giddey has played grown men his entire life and has always stepped up when the lights get brightest. He did it again scoring 31 points, nailing three triples.”
Thunder shine in play-in victory over New Orleans
Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off his first season as an All-Star, continued his star turn with big plays throughout the night. He and Pelicans star Brandon Ingram battled in the game's final minutes with Gilgeous-Alexander getting the best of the matchup.
The Pelicans opened up a 63-57 halftime lead, but the third quarter was all OKC. The Thunder scored 39 in the third to enter the fourth with a 96-87 edge. But the Pelicans didn't back down, going on a 7-0 run early in the fourth to cut their deficit to 98-96. A Josh Richardson transition dunk gave them a 101-100 lead with eight minutes remaining.
From there, the teams traded buckets as the lead repeatedly changed hands before a Gilgeous-Alexander floater put the the Thunder up for good, 115-114 with 28.3 seconds remaining.
Regardless of what happens in the second play-in game against the Timberwolves or even the playoffs should they make it, the future is bright for the Thunder. They'll enjoy the debut of No.2 draft pick Chet Holmgren, who missed the entire season through injury and who will add some size to their often small lineup.
Additionally, the Thunder have a whopping 15 first round draft picks to come in the next five years, the fruits of trading away superstars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Chris Paul in recent seasons. Should the Thunder beat the Timberwolves on Saturday, they'll go on to face the Western Conference one seed, the Denver Nuggets.
While the Nuggets would be heavy favourites in a first round series, it would be crucial playoff experience for a young team with serious aspirations in seasons to come.
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