Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Josh Giddey missed three games last month due to the health and safety protocol but has returned playing and shooting better for the team.
Giddey averaged 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists on 24.5% shooting from 3-point range in 30 games prior to entering the protocol. However, since returning, Giddey is posting 13.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in nine games on 36.4% shooting from beyond the arc.
His free-throw percentage also improved from 65.1% to 83.3% in that same period.
Of course, the recent uptick in shooting is in a rather small sample size but it could mean Giddey is on the verge of turning the corner. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault initially joked the turnaround was a COVID symptom, but then offered a possible explanation.
I think he is learning where shots are coming from, which takes time when you’re a rookie adjusting. … I think watching his shots lately, I think there has just been something to him knowing where they going to be coming from, when the defense is going to be late, etc. The predictability with that, I think, really helps guys with shooting.
Daigneault pointed to a couple of times this season when Giddey got the ball and maybe wasn’t expecting to be so open after a pass. The ability to know when he will get a pass from a teammate and when he could be open has likely helped him make shots compared to before.
While Giddey can do so much on the court, becoming a consistent shooter can help unlock even more for him. Daigneault previously explained how becoming a knock-down shooter would keep defenses honest and open up more space for those players around him.
The Thunder have certainly liked what Giddey has given them in his first season. He has shown plenty of promise and will continue to do so the more he improves and develops, and he appears to be becoming a better shooter in the process.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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