The numbers behind Josh Giddey's recent hot streak
Yesterday at 07:40 PM
The Chicago Bulls acquired Josh Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder last offseason in a trade that sent Alex Caruso to OKC. Giddey was a solid young talent for the Thunder, but he wasn’t expected to be anything special for the Bulls. That was the case for most of this season. Giddey was a good role player, but something has changed over the last month. Giddey has not only been one of the best players for the Bulls, but he has been one of the best players in the NBA.
So far on the season, Josh Giddey is averaging 13.8 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 6.7 assists per game. He has started in all 60 games that he has played, and he is averaging 29.7 minutes per game. Giddey is shooting 46.2% from the floor and 37.6% from deep. His numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, but in the last few weeks, things have been different.
In the month of February, Giddey averaged 19.8 PPG. So far in March, he is averaging 23. What’s been so impressive about his play during this strecth is his three point shooting. Giddey shot over 50% from three during February as he shot 53.6% from deep. There was a two-game span where Giddey went 7-7 from three.
Giddey had a rough stretch shooting the ball during his first two games in March, but in his last two games, he is 5/9 from deep.
During this hot stretch, Josh Giddey has pulled off some incredibly impressive feats. In the first half of a recent game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Giddey became the first guard since tracking began in 1996 to put up 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in one half. In that same game, Giddey joined Michael Jordan, Jerry Sloan, Clem Haskins and Guy Rodgers as the only Bulls guards ever with three straight 20-point double-doubles.
Josh Giddey extended that streak to four, joining Michael Jordan and Clem Haskins as the only Bulls guards to do it four times in a row.
In a recent game against the Miami Heat, Giddey put up another ridiculous stat line. He finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists while finishing with a 74% true shooting percentage. He joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls to finish with that stat line or a better one.
The last nine games have been the most impressive. Giddey is averaging 23.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists. He is shooting 52.2% from the field, and 52.5% from beyond the arc. The list of guards producing 22 or more points, 10 or more rebounds, and nine or more assists over a 9-game span in a single season are as follows: Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, Luka Doncic, Fat Lever, Michael Jordan, James Harden, and now Giddey.
Not only is Josh Giddey performing at an elite level individually, but he is having a big impact on the entire team. Since the All-Star break, Giddey is 10th in the entire NBA in plus-minus at +113. The only players that have been better in that stretch are Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, Zach LaVine, Sam Merrill, Toumani Camara, Cade Cunningham, Luka Doncic and De’Andre Hunter.
Going into the All-Star break, the Bulls had lost five of their last six games. Since the All-Star break, the Bulls are 5-5, and they have won three games in a row.
Unfortunately, Josh Giddey went down with an ankle injury on Monday, but he isn’t expected to miss a lot of time. Hopefully he picks up where he left off when he returns.
The post The numbers behind Josh Giddey’s recent hot streak appeared first on ClutchPoints.
