Giddey stuns in perfect response to critics; Ben truth we must accept — Aussies in NBA

BEN SIMMONS (Brooklyn Nets)

Although not reaching his previous best heights, Simmons is still playing a key role for the red-hot Brooklyn Nets, who’ve won an NBA-best 12 games in a row.

The Aussie has really found his groove during Brooklyn’s current surge as its primary playmaker, dishing out eight or more assists in six of the Nets’ 12 consecutive wins.

As Simmons explained after the team’s win over San Antonio this week, his role is to simply try and get his teammates the best looks possible.

“Being that point forward position, I have so many options every time down the floor – whether it’s transition, guys coming off hand offs, picks, slips, back doors, there’s so many different options to where the game feels easy,” he told reporters.

“I try to go out there and help my teammates get the best shots they can and try do that at a high level.”

Although we know he’s capable of much more offensively, simplifying his role and not trying to do too much is perhaps how Simmons is best utilised for a contender, given how bitterly things ended in Philly after criticism towards his impact as a second star.

Beyond playmaking, Simmons’ offensive game has really dried up though. He’s shot 0-of-9 from the free throw line during the Nets’ winning streak and he’s scored over 10 points just once since December.

He’s also averaging a career-low 7.9 points per game over the whole season – nearly half his career scoring average of 15.2 – rarely attacking the rim like he used to, and when he does, generally still passes off to a teammate.

Of course, he’s work on the defensive end remains elite, and Simmons can always hang his hat on that.

So maybe this is just who Simmons is now in a Draymond Green-like role? Or maybe the Nets are just ramping him up and not wanting to mess with their current chemistry too much and the best is yet to come?

He’s certainly playing much better than he was at the start of the season, shaking off rust and injury setbacks.

More importantly than anything, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn, has been pleased with the 26-year old’s play, recently discussing how the mental and physical side of the game are intertwined.

“It’s all that,” Vaughn said. “When your body feels good and your mind can say, ‘OK, yeah, my body does feel good,’ then you’re able to do certain things, whether that’s pushing the pace and turn that into a layup, whether that’s post up and be aggressive and physical banging in the post, and getting to the rim. Then also seeing what the groups look like that he plays with has been huge.

“So that’s given him a good place to expand his game and feel comfortable on the floor. All athletes want to feel comfortable and confident in what they’re doing.”

JOSH GIDDEY (OKC Thunder)

Australian basketball’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ is in career-best form.

Giddey is coming off a season-high 25 points in the OKC Thunder’s dominant upset win over the Boston Celtics where he scored 17 points in the third quarter alone to help blow out last year’s NBA Finalists.

So brilliant was Giddey in that third term in giving OKC an insurmountable lead that he didn’t have to return to the game, playing just 24 minutes in total.

It crucially came in a contest superstar leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (illness) sat out, with Giddey stepping up and then some as the team’s No. 1 option with extra responsibilities.

“What a game he had. He was hitting elbow jumpers off the dribble, attacking downhill aggressively, forcing mismatches, exposing smaller players on him, using his body to shield himself from defenders and bump them off their spot so he could get to his,” Locked On Thunder’s Rylan Stiles said of Giddey.

“In that third quarter he was electric … coming off his best month ever, Josh Giddey put this together – his future is beyond bright.”

It continues the 20-year old’s hot streak, where he’s scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games.

Since the start of December, Giddey has averaged 16.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 triples while shooting over 50 per cent from the field, over 43 per from downtown and over 90 per cent from the free throw line.

Not bad for a kid just 86 games into his NBA career still finding his way and learning to play alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, who played just 56 games last season with injury.

And yet there’s been criticism towards Giddey for being in a sophomore slump and failing to live up to his promising rookie season.

While he’s been a little up and down across the campaign, Giddey ranks third in scoring, third in rebounds and first in assists among sophomores, per Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar.

Numbers don’t lie, and most importantly, Giddey is showing progress and taking steps forward in his all-round game.

“Giddey deserves a lot of flowers for somebody who has been unfairly criticised this season. The sophomore slump stuff was unfair, you’ve got to give him time,” Stiles added.

“Giddey and SGA (Gilgeous-Alexander) – the play styles they play in and different usages they can have – make them chameleons, where they can change their spots so to speak to fit in and camouflage them into the offence and into the team.”

DYSON DANIELS (New Orleans Pelicans)

The Pick 8 draftee continues to impress in a key role for the third-seeded Pelicans – and he’s set to get more opportunities with Zion Williamson out for multiple weeks with a hamstring injury.

It’s the defensive side of the game where Daniels is really having an impact in his rookie campaign, showing off athleticism and IQ beyond his years at that end of the floor.

The 19-year old keeps getting tasked with big defensive assignments including locking up Minnesota star Anthony Edwards in the last play of last week’s game to help close out a big win for New Orleans.

It’s pretty remarkable to consider the Pelicans, who have other defensive studs like Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado, are giving Daniels such big on-ball defensive assignments in clutch moments against some of the best scorers in the league.

Daniels’ combination of size – standing 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan – and lateral quickness is what makes him so successful guarding a variety of players.

But it’s also his smarts and instincts of knowing when to switch and cover different opponents that stands out.

Put it all together and you have one of the most promising defenders in the league, and according to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the premier rookie at that end of the floor.

Vecenie also referred to Daniels as a “wizard” and has him ranked as the ninth-best rookie this season, saying he’d “comfortably have him All-Rookie right now”.

“Daniels is the best defensive player on the perimeter in this rookie class, bar none. He is a wizard. It’s actually hard to overemphasise how good he is on that end for a teenager,” Vecenie wrote.

“I’m not exaggerating when I say there are few better, more versatile defenders I’ve seen across the entire NBA this season. People rightfully melted down about Jones last year on the defensive end … Daniels is better. He’s the kind of guy the Pelicans are going to be able to weaponise in the playoffs as a defensive stopper against the league’s best.”

JOE INGLES (Milwaukee Bucks)

How good is having Jinglin’ Joe back in action!?

In fact, Ingles has stepped into a key role for the Bucks near instantly in his return from an ACL injury, although perhaps not by design, as the team has fought through injuries including to stars Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton.

The 35-year old Aussie has showed he still has it including a big performance against the Timberwolves last week, recording 14 points, four triples, five rebounds and 10 assists.

We still don’t know exactly what Ingles’ role will be when Milwaukee is at full strength, but if nothing else, his leadership will be crucial in its championship tilt.

That leadership and keeping the team on the same page has already been on full display, with Giannis Antetokounmpo recently speaking out on Ingles’ influence.

“Having a guy who’s going to be vocal out there and leads us and organises us and puts us in the right spots – we definitely need that,” Antetokounmpo told Bally Sports Wisconsin.

“He understands that and he does it more. He’s somebody who can pull me aside and come me down and tell me: ‘Hey roll more and hey you’ve got to set more. Hey, we are open.’

“A guy out there who can help me organise my mind too – it’s big for me and for the team. I love that about Joe.”

JOCK LANDALE (Phoenix Suns)

The big man has moved into a more prominent role for the Suns in recent games – averaging 7.2 points, and 4.7 rebounds in 19 minutes over his last four contests.

Injuries in Phoenix have helped the Aussie spend more time on the court, scoring a season-high 16 points in a spot start against the Memphis Grizzlies last week alongside DeAndre Ayton.

Landale started the following game against the Washington Wizards too before returning to the bench.

But he showed he’s capable of taking on more responsibilities and consistently produced when he gets them.

While the Suns are in the midst of a bad slump including dropping three games in a row to slide down into the West’s eighth seed, Landale has enjoyed a productive season.

According to NBA analyst Andy Bailey, Landale ranks 123rd overall in the NBA this season using catch-all metrics that measure a player’s impact on the game when he’s on the floor.

That has him ranked fifth among Phoenix players and ahead of the likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Mike Conley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Ivica Zubac, Tyrese Maxey, Michael Porter Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, RJ Barrett, John Collins, Jalen Green, Keldon Johnson, Jordan Poole, Josh Giddey and Terry Rozier – some of whom have missed time with injury.

JOSH GREEN (Dallas Mavericks)

Green has been sidelined for the last 13 games with an elbow injury, which brutally came during a career-best stretch for the breakout Aussie, in which he shot 58.3 per cent from the floor and 44.4 per cent from three as a key two-way reserve.

We finally got an update on the 22-year old this week, with Dallas coach Jason Kidd revealing he’s doing non-contact work.

However Green has to wait for his symptoms to subside before he can take contact, and Kidd was coy on when that’d be.

Asked when he expects Green to be cleared to take that next step, Kidd quipped: “Hopefully that’s in the year of 2023,” before adding: “But he’s doing great. He’s in a great spirit, so hopefully soon.”

The Mavericks are thin on the wing at the moment with Dorian Finney-Smith also sidelined, so hopefully Green’s return isn’t too far away.

MATISE THYBULLE (Philadelphia 76ers)

The defensive stud remains on the periphery of the Sixers rotation and gets bigger minutes in some games depending on match-ups and which Sixers are available.

Philadelphia’s rotation only just got more crowded too with the recent return of Tyrese Maxey as the team is now at full strength and playing well.

The Sixers have gone 10-2 over their last 12 games and their ranked third in the NBA in defensive rating, so it’s tricky to see how Thybulle will get more opportunities.

Improving his offensive game and three-point shoot is clearly a priority, although Thybulle did bury three triples against OKC this week in 22 minutes in a game James Harden sat out.

It’s largely a matter of Thubulle making sure he’s ready to have an impact when his name is called or injuries strike.

PATTY MILLS (Brooklyn Nets)

Speaking of players struggling to get opportunities on successful teams, look no further than Mills.

The veteran is averaging just over 12 minutes per contest – his lowest return since his 2020/11 sophomore season – for the 25-12 Brooklyn Nets that have won an NBA-best 12 games in a row.

After being frozen out of the rotation completely for most of December, Mills has seen more court time over the last fortnight, but remains an end of bench guy.

Of course, the Nets are also back at full strength and have one of the deepest rotations in the NBA, armed with shooters and versatile talent at nearly every position, forcing Mills into a lesser role.

“This is not something we’re used to seeing, he’s been picking up the DNPs,” ESPN’s Kane Pitman said of Mills on SEN last month.

“The problem is that the Nets just have depth and they’ve actually been healthy.

“It’s just challenging for Patty Mills right now.”

MATTHEW DELLAVEDOVA (Sacramento Kings)

While Thybulle and Mills are struggling for opportunities, Dellavedova isn’t seeing any court time at all.

The guard has played a grand total of just three minutes since December 17, stuck behind De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell in the Kings point guard pecking order.

Even Mitchell only averages 19.4 minutes per contest as the deep and versatile Kings play sixth man sharpshooter Malik Monk in a ton of line-ups.

Plus with the 20-16 Sacramento enjoying its most dominant stretch for the best part of 20 years – sitting fifth in the West – and Dellavedova never slated for a big role, it’s no surprise that he’s been used sparingly by Mike Brown.

JACK WHITE (Denver Nuggets)

After spending time with the Nuggets’ main squad in recent weeks – but only getting garbage time NBA minutes – White has been sent back to the team’s G League affiliate Grand Rapids Gold.

Having joined Denver on a two-way contract, he’s permitted to spend at least 50 games with the main team, so there’ll likely be some back and fourth transferring.

But with the Nuggets sitting first in the West and title aspirations on their mind, it’s unlikely the 6-foot-7 forward will get any meaningful opportunities.

White has however been in stellar form in the G League, averaging 19 points, eight rebounds, two threes and one block per contest.