Giddey Shines with 21 Points in Narrow Bulls Loss

CHICAGO, Ill. — Australian guard Josh Giddey continued to assert his place among NBA greats with a standout performance for the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, netting 21 points against the Los Angeles Clippers. Despite Giddey’s efforts, the Bulls succumbed to a narrow defeat.

Giddey recorded a double-double for the fourth consecutive game, adding 12 assists and eight rebounds to his scoring total. His shooting was particularly impressive, as he went 8-for-14 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range.

In the context of his historic performances, Giddey became the fifth Bulls player in franchise history to achieve at least four consecutive 20-point double-doubles, joining legends like Michael Jordan and Jerry Sloan. His previous two outings included impressive totals of 25 points and 16 rebounds, and 24 points and 10 assists.

According to Opta Stats, Giddey is now the only player in NBA history to amass over 75 points, 40 rebounds, 20 assists, 10 made three-pointers, and 10 stocks (steals and blocks) in a three-game span. Since the All-Star break, he has averaged 25.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game.

Teammate Zach Collins commended Giddey’s recent form, stating, “He’s been on a hell of a run lately. We’re all beneficiaries of that for sure.” Collins emphasized the advantages of Giddey’s ability to draw defensive attention and distribute the ball effectively. “He’s a phenomenal passer, (he has a) very high basketball IQ, so he’s an easy guy to play with,” Collins added.

However, in the face of his success, Giddey acknowledged an area needing improvement: turnovers. He committed five turnovers against the Clippers, the highest on his team.

The game was also notable for the matchup between Giddey and fellow Australian Ben Simmons, who now plays for the Clippers. Simmons contributed six points, eight assists, and eight rebounds in 18 minutes of play. After the game, Giddey shared on social media that Simmons had left a signed Clippers jersey for him, complemented by an encouraging note: “To Josh, keep being great.”

In other NBA action, Dyson Daniels led the Atlanta Hawks with 18 points but couldn’t prevent a 131-109 loss to the Miami Heat. Daniels shot an efficient 8-for-10 from the field and added five rebounds and five assists while his All-Star teammate Trae Young was held to 17 points on 33% shooting.