The NBA season may have long been over for Chicago Bulls fans, but Josh Giddey gave them a reason to closely follow the men’s basketball event of the 2024 Paris Games aside from the high-flying members of Team USA.
It’s expected that Giddey would take on a meaningful role in the Bulls’ rebuild after moving on from Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The young Aussie has shown enough in his three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder that he has what it takes to become an outstanding floor general in the NBA.
However, Bulls fans who closely watched him play for Australia may find legitimate areas of concern as his play exposed some alarming weaknesses that opposing NBA teams may look to exploit.
Josh Giddey’s poor play vs. Greece may become cause of concern for Chicago Bulls fans
During Australia 77-71 loss to Greece, Josh Giddey posted nine points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and a block. However, his five turnovers and 2-for-8 shooting on the floor contributed to the Boomers’ loss at the hands of the Greeks.
Pippen Ain’t Easy’s Alex Johnson detailed how the 21-year-old guard struggled to get into the game when he was stifled by the Greek defense in the first half:
Giddey never really got into the flow in the first half as he went 0-3 from the field with four points on free throws. Even when Giddy would take control at the point, he did not play with much pace as the game was played primarily in the half court. He added just one assist with three turnovers. The Boomers trailed by 17 going into the 2nd half.
While he improved his performance in the second half by focusing on grabbing boards, his failure to make his impact felt against the Greeks would be a cause of concern for Bulls fans.
While the young Aussie played poorly, his performance in the NBA is promising. He averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in his final year with the Thunder. Fans can expect his numbers to bump up as he takes on a more central role in the coming campaign.
