Josh Giddey showed closing ability against Jazz

Over the weekend, the Oklahoma City Thunder earned a huge win over the Utah Jazz, sweeping them in a baseball-style series at the Paycom Center. As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned to the floor on Sunday, Josh Giddey helped lead the way for the OKC Thunder.

Josh Giddey (6th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (max contract point guard, acquired from the Clippers in the Paul George trade), and Jalen Williams (12th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, via the Clippers pick) combined for 94 points on Sunday night against the Utah Jazz. The future is bright for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are still waiting on Chet Holmgren (2nd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft) to make his NBA debut next season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a pair of massive wins over the Utah Jazz this weekend, and Josh Giddey played a vital role in those wins.

This season has been a rollercoaster for second-year guard Josh Giddey. The former NBL star started the season in a bit of a cold slump, which caused many OKC Thunder fans to panic. Then, something clicked in December and January when Giddey began to play like a potential star.

Josh Giddey’s entire Sophomore season can be encapsulated by his last week of basketball. Giddey played in just 19 minutes on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, a career-low as he shot just 4-for-10 from the floor, six rebounds, five assists, and eight points. This led fans to jump off the deep in, fearful he could not close out games, afraid he has a low ceiling and worried Sam Presti made a mistake.

All of that was silenced in the new three games, where he averaged 21 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, a stela, and shot 56 percent from the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc on four attempts a game—capped off by an incredible game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Against Utah, Giddey scored 24 points, dished out nine assists, hauled in as many rebounds, and drained four triples on six attempts. The 20-year-old shot a jaw-dropping 62 percent from the floor. From spinning through the lane rim finishes, to catch and shoot triples, Giddey did it all in a pivotal win for the Western Conference Standings.

The Oklahoma City Thunder fanbase continues to blow with the wind on Josh Giddey, but he deserves a less-reactionary approach. From winning each Western Conference Rookie of the Year award he was eligible for last season to games like Sunday, he has shown immaculate potential. He deserves the leeway to grow into that as a player 113 games into his NBA career.