What Did Josh Giddey Do Wrong to Lose Starting Spot? Australian PG’s Shocking Demotion on OKC Thunder’s Playoff Run

Australian point guard for Oklahoma City Thunder Josh Giddey has been the talk of the NBA community recently. The 21-year-old did not miss a single game and played as a player in the starting lineup from the start of the season. However, it was the first time in the last game that he was removed from the starting roster. He was benched, and his fellow player Isaiah Joe was promoted to the first string in Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks. A question popped up in the minds of OKC fans: why did the team snap Giddey’s 218-game first-string streak?

Per the OKC coach Mark Daigneault, the decision to bench their No. 6 pick was for sure uncomfortable. Though it was a calculated move for the Thunder team, it turned out to give an unexpected loss to the team. Before the NBA, fans assumed that Giddey’s absence was due to the point slump. However, coach Daigneault had a completely different approach to the change as he commented, “It gave us a chance to get back into some normal attacks on offense.”

Though the approach from the OKC was to throw the Dallas Mavericks off-balance, it wasted drastically. However, the “playmaker” that the Thunder coach wanted Giddey to perform delivered well. Yet it was not good enough to clinch away the victory in Game 6 as their team lost to the Mavs with a scoreline of 105-92. But the blame can’t be wholly put on the coach’s decision as well. Josh’s performance in the playoffs has seriously suffered a setback, backing down the whole squad.

Josh Giddey’s Performance So Far in the NBA

In comparison to the rookie season of Josh Giddey at the Thunder Squad, his performance has reduced drastically this season. During the 2021-22 season, the Thunder guard averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists.  Time went on, and his performance experienced an exponential surge, with an average of 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists during the 2022-23 season. However, this year’s performance has also reduced the number of minutes that he plays on the court from almost 31 minutes to approx 25 minutes.

Whether it be his responsibility as a shooter or a defender, Giddey has not delivered according to the expectations. With an average of 12.3 points this season and only 6.4 rebounds, the Thunder’s guard has performed underwhelmingly for the team. Even after entering the playoff, his flump continued as he averaged 9.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in the last nine games of the playoffs.

With such persistence, OKC had no option rather than benching him. However, the bad conditions got the better of him in Game 5. When the team was in trouble, Giddey scored 11 points in 12 minutes. But it was too late before The Thunder could clinch away the victory from the Dallas Mavericks. Yet the OKC coach has confirmed making various decisions to lead his team to a win. But the accuracy of those decisions is something that is still to be trusted.