Josh Giddey ERUPTS at New Orleans rival after low-blow during playoff win… but Australian gun keeps his cool to shatter 14-year NBA record: ‘Don’t do that bulls*** again’
- Josh Giddey broke a 14-year record as Oklahoma defeated New Orleans
- The 20-year-old was embroiled in a row with his opponent on Wednesday
- Daily Mail Australia provides all the latest international sports news
Josh Giddey has flashed all of Oklahoma City’s ‘swagger’ in his first NBA post-season action, equalling his career-high with 31 points in a rousing defeat of New Orleans.
The 20-year-old Australian added 10 assists and nine rebounds in a statement performance for the Thunder in their 123-118 play-in win.
He committed just two turnovers in 42 minutes of court time and paired 30 points and 10 assists for the first time.
It equalled compatriot Ben Simmons’ 31-point effort for Philadelphia against Brooklyn in the 2019 play-offs to comfortably rank among the best post-season NBA efforts by an Australian.
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He also became the youngest player in NBA history to record at least 30 points in a playoff game, beating the record previously held by Derrick Rose, who set the mark in 2009.
Josh Giddey was in scintillating form as he helped the Thunder defeat the Pelicans
The Australian superstar scored 31 points and in so doing broke an NBA playoffs record
‘They’re the type of games, when you grow up, you want to be involved in,’ the Victorian product and former Adelaide 36ers NBL star said.
‘And that’s as good as I can imagine my first play-off experience being.’
It wasn’t all smooth-sailing for Giddey , though, as he had to keep his cool during a feisty confrontation with Pelicans rival Josh Richardson.
With eight minutes remaining in the final quarter, Giddey was supporting teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and trying to make life difficult for Richardson.
The pair collided, and it appeared that Richardson landed a low blow on the Australian talent, causing him to collapse on the hardwood.
After remonstrating with the refs his case with the refs, Giddey then singled out Richardson and said: ‘Don’t do that bulls*** again. Don’t do it again.’
The NBA’s second-youngest team had been expected to endure another rebuilding season.
But after finishing 10th with 16 more victories than in the last campaign, they are now just one victory away from securing the Western Conference’s eighth seed and a first-round date with No.1 Denver.
That goes on the line against Minnesota on Saturday (AEST), after the Timberwolves ended the Lakers’ season.
Second-year talent Giddey was at the heart of the action in the do-or-die game, powering the scoring early before star back-court partner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32 points) exploded in the third quarter.
But he had to keep his cool in the fourth quarter after an apparent low blow from an opponent
Josh Richardson appeared to elbow Giddey in the groin and it caused a ruckus
That gave the visitors a 10-point lead but they trailed early in the fourth, ignoring their inexperience to overcome the ninth-seeded Pelicans powered by superstar Brandon Ingram’s 30 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
Giddey shot at 50 per cent from the field and made both of his free throws in the final seconds as the Thunder clung on.
The guard got under the Pelicans’ skin, with Josh Richardson copping a flagrant foul after connecting with an elbow below the belt of the Australian off the ball.
‘Even coming into the season, before we’d played a game, there was a swagger in this group,’ coach Mark Daigneault said.
‘It’s a collective swagger; they feed off each other, encourage each other, there’s no judgement.
‘So they can go out in an environment like this and everybody can stick your chest out – that was clearly on display tonight.’
Earlier, Zach LaVine scored 39 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 against his former team and the Chicago Bulls overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 109-105.
Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed 66-47 in the third quarter before LaVine carried them back.
The Bulls will visit the Miami Heat – who they are 3-0 against this season – for the chance to earn a first-round play-off matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
