The Knicks upset their fans last night with 48 points conceded in the first quarter, and a most embarrassing defeat against OKC (135-145). Alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his 37 points, Josh Giddey delighted the gallery with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. This is his 5th career triple-double, and this one allows him to register his name alongside a legend.
The young Australian is indeed the only player, with Wilt Chamberlain, to have scored two triple-doubles in his first two career games at Madison Square Garden. During his first visit to the Mecca of basketball last February, he had compiled 28 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.
” Whenever you can be quoted in the same sentence as big names like that, it’s special. But basketball is a team sport, so if these things contribute to victory and help my guys around me to be better, then it’s worth it », he said after the game.
In her garden at Madison Square Garden
Seeing him shine in the most prestigious of halls is not trivial as his game transpires basketball. You get the impression that he doesn’t force anything, that he lets the game come to him and that he makes the right decisions every time. In this match, it was his way of attacking the paint that stood out, a point he is trying to improve on this start to the season.
“I try to go a little more in the key, while keeping confidence in my shot. I’m just trying to read what the defense gives me. I’m starting to realize that I’m a bit taller than the players defending against me, and I try to finish above them by being bigger with the ball in hand. It’s one of the things I work on in training in order to reproduce them in matches. I felt good about this match”.
The fact of playing in New York also represents an additional motivation for him. “It’s a fun place to play. It’s the most famous room in the world, so I always mark this date on my calendar. I can’t wait to come back next year. We only come here once a year, so have fun while you’re here. Since I’ve been here we’ve had two wins, so so far so good.”
No doubt he will be watched much more closely when he returns to MSG next season!
| Josh Giddey | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2021-22 | OKAY | 54 | 32 | 41.9 | 26.3 | 70.9 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 6.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 12.5 |
| 2022-23 | OKAY | 9 | 29 | 44.3 | 31.0 | 60.0 | 1.7 | 5.3 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 13.7 |
| Total | 63 | 31 | 42.3 | 26.9 | 69.7 | 1.8 | 5.9 | 7.7 | 6.2 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 12.7 | |
