‘He’s cooking’: Giddey’s epic OT plays; Aussie ‘disruptor’ in brilliant blitz — NBA Wrap

Josh Giddey starred in extra time and put in one among his greatest defensive NBA shows to assist Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Chicago Bulls on Saturday (AEDT).

Giddey, who’s averaging a tick below 15 factors per outing this season, fell one help wanting his second triple-double of the Thunder’s 2022-23 marketing campaign, ending with 10 factors, 13 rebounds and 9 assists within the 123-119 win.

Oklahoma City’s win comes after OT losses to Denver and Milwaukee over the previous few weeks.

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Giddey’s output through the tight closing phases impressed on-lookers as he produced a number of big clutch performs down the stretch.

The 20-year-old confirmed terrific composure and imaginative and prescient in site visitors in extra time. He firstly arrange buckets for teammates Aleksej Pokusevski and Kenrich Williams earlier than pulling out a few assertive drives to nail two robust lay-up makes an attempt.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault advised reporters post-game Giddey performed a few of his greatest defence towards the Bulls and “really closed the overtime”.

Giddey post-match advised reporters it was one among his higher defensive performances within the NBA whereas additionally praising his workforce’s capability to curtail the affect of Chicago’s two prime movers late.

“We’ve been in this situation a fair few times before this year, especially recently, and I think we’ve learned from both games how to execute down the stretch at both ends of the floor,” Giddey mentioned.

“We knew they (the Bulls) were going to go to (DeMar) DeRozan and (Zach) LaVine down the stretch and we did a good job of keeping our primary defenders on them and making them take and make some tough shots — and at the end of the day you live with the result.

“If you’re making teams make shot over a hand, like they were, you tip your hat. But we got some big stops down the stretch and we closed that game out.”

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander completed with a team-high 30 factors, together with 5 straight free throws within the closing minute of extra time to seal victory.

DeRozan (30 factors) and LaVine (27) had been the Bulls‘ top scorers.

‘DISRUPTER’ DANIELS A SHINING LIGHT IN BIG LOSS

It was a battle of the highest two picks within the 2019 draft in New Orleans, the place Ja Morant scored 23 factors with 4 rebounds and 11 assists to guide the Memphis Grizzlies to a 132-111 victory over Zion Williamson’s Pelicans.

Williamson scored 14 factors with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, but it surely was a extra full effort from the Grizzlies — who had double-digit contributions from Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke and David Roddy.

Aussie Dyson Daniels was a standout for the Pelicans off the bench. In simply 25 minutes of sport time, Daniels dropped 9 factors, six assists and 5 rebounds, with the Pelicans +18 when the rookie was on the court docket in an enormous loss.

Daniels and Giddey’s performances capped off an incredible day for Aussies within the NBA after Ben Simmons recorded 20 factors on an ideal 8-of-8 taking pictures to go along with six rebounds, three assists and a block for the Nets.

LEBRON LIFTS LAKERS

LeBron James returned from a five-game damage absence to attain 21 factors because the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Spurs 105-94 in San Antonio for his or her first highway win of the NBA season.

James pulled down eight rebounds and handed out 5 assists with three steals and a blocked shot in 33 minutes on the ground, with Lakers coach Darvin Ham saying the four-time NBA champion regarded “phenomenal” after lacking 5 video games with a groin damage.

All eyes had been on James, who’s on tempo — if he stays wholesome — to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar because the league’s all-time main scorer as early as February.

He scored the primary basket of the competition because the Lakers rapidly powered to a double-digit lead. They led 59-41 at halftime, however the younger Spurs workforce had sliced the deficit to 81-78 by early within the fourth. The Lakers responded, with James pushing the ball up the court docket on the way in which to a dunk that took the lead again to 10 factors.

“I felt pretty good,” James mentioned. “I’ve been non-stop around the clock (getting treatment) for the last couple of weeks to get back on the floor.”

Anthony Davis scored 11 of his 25 factors within the closing interval, ending with a double-double that additionally included 15 rebounds.

“It was a great first half for us,” mentioned Davis, who had stepped as much as assist the Lakers go 3-2 in James’s absence. “We came out in the fourth quarter and turned it back up.”

Ham was delighted with what he noticed from his celebrity, James’s 9 turnovers however.

“He was moving great,” Ham mentioned. “Obviously there’s going to be some rust there … but I thought he looked great.”

James mentioned he anticipated to be again on the ground when the Spurs hosted the Lakers once more Saturday — and he expects to see enchancment.

“My rhythm, my timing was a little off on a few of my passes,” he mentioned. “But I’ll be a lot better as the games go on.”

CELTICS MOVE TO LEAGUE-BEST RECORD

The Boston Celtics, led by 30 factors from Jayson Tatum, downed the red-hot Sacramento Kings 122-104 to enhance their league-leading file to 15-4.

The Celtics survived a sloppy third quarter to down the Kings, whose eight wins in November included a seven-game successful streak that ended with a loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Boston led by as many as 16 early within the second quarter, however the Kings used a 40-point second interval to chop the deficit to 2 factors at halftime.

The Kings saved pushing in a 3rd quarter that featured 4 lead adjustments. The sport was tied 84-84 when Boston reserve Payton Pritchard drained a three-pointer and Tatum fed Luke Kornet for an alley-oop dunk. Tatum then got here up with a steal and a basket, a rebound and a three-pointer to provide the Celtics a 94-84 lead going into the fourth.

Meanwhile, on a busy evening within the NBA after a break day for the US Thanksgiving vacation, the Milwaukee Bucks rallied for a 117-102 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in a battle for second place within the Eastern Conference.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 38 factors to guide the Bucks previous the Cavaliers, who led by 16 within the first half however had been outscored 35-10 within the third quarter because the hosts turned issues round.

In Charlotte, Kelly Oubre scored 28 factors and Terry Rozier added 22 because the Hornets held off Minnesota 110-108 to snap the Timberwolves’ five-game successful streak.

Portland notched an extra time victory, edging the New York Knicks 132-129.

Jerami Grant had a career-high 44 factors — essentially the most factors by a Trail Blazers participant at Madison Square Garden. He additionally tried a club-record 28 free throws within the sport.

— with AFP