After starting the Chicago Bulls NBA Cup Group Play game against the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers, Josh Giddey‘s play time was far less robust than fans are used to, taking the field for just 15 minutes in a near-20-point loss.
Scoring just five points in 15 minutes on 2-9 shooting from the field and 1-5 from beyond the arc, Giddey finished out the game seventh in playing time behind the starters, Ayo Dosunmu and Dalen Terry, and was largely on the bench down the stretch.
Now, to fans watching the game, the decision to bench Giddey makes plenty of sense, as his play on the offensive side of the ball wasn’t nearly good enough to justify the liability he was on the defensive side of the court. But how did the former OKC first-round pick feel about the decision? Did he pout on the sidelines or attack his coach for not believing in him mere weeks into his on-court career with the Bulls? Nope, in an interesting twist of fate, Giddey actually backed the decision, as he, too, would have sent himself to the bench if he was coaching.
Josh Giddey vows to play better for the Bulls moving forward
Discussing his struggles after the game with reporters, Giddey acknowledged that his benching was warranted, as he simply didn’t play well enough to justify a spot on the court.
“I wouldn’t have played myself if I was Billy either,” Giddey told reporters via K.C. Johnson. “I was bad at both ends.”
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Turning his attention to his actual on-court play, Giddey noted that his defensive efforts simply weren’t good enough to justify a spot on the court, before vowing to improve in order to help lead the Bulls in the right direction.
“I want to be better on (defensive) side of the ball and I thought I was making steps in the right direction,” Giddey noted. “To have a night like tonight kind of kills your confidence. I have to (be) way better and will be going forward.”
On paper, Giddey’s stats are roughly comparable with his time in OKC, averaging just .6 points under his career average while averaging one more assist and one fewer game in roughly comparable minutes. But on a team that is far less defensively sound, Giddey’s one-way status has become much more of an issue than in OKC, with his -.6 DBPM the worst mark of his career and his BPM the worst mark since his rookie year. If the Bulls are going to figure it out with Giddey as one of their starting guards moving forward, he has to at least become a neutral defensive player, which he simply isn’t at this point in his career.
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