Australia’s Josh Giddey of Melbourne made more NBA history on Sunday. One week after becoming only the second player in NBA history to record a zero-point double double on Boxing Day, the teenage rookie sensation became the youngest player ever to record a triple-double.
Giddey accomplished the feat in a 95-86 Oklahoma City Thunder loss to Dallas. Giddey had 17 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds at the age of 19 years and 84 days. He broke the record previously set by LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets, who had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists on January 9, 2021 in a 113-105 Hornets win over the Atlanta Hawks at the age of 19 years and 140 days. Giddey’s triple-double came exactly 51 weeks after Ball’s triple-double.
It was the Mavericks that got the better end of the Thunder on Sunday. Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. of Orinda, California and power forward Marquese Chriss of Sacramento, California, each had 15 points for Dallas off the bench to lead the Mavericks in scoring, With the win, the Mavericks improved to a record of 18 wins and 18 losses, while the Thunder fell to 13 wins and 23 losses.
Oklahoma City needs to be thrilled with the progress Giddey is making on the court. So far this season, he is averaging 11 points per game (even with the goose egg against the Pelicans), 7.3 rebounds per game and 6.4 assists per game. Giddey also has a field goal percentage of .390, free throw percentage of .651, and a three-point percentage of .261. Initially the Thunder’s first round pick, sixth overall, in the 2021 NBA Draft, Giddey’s best game this season when its comes to points is 19. The first time came in a 115-103 Thunder loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on October 24, and the second time came in a 110-104 Thunder loss to the Utah Jazz on November 24. It should be noted that Giddey missed the Thunder’s three games this past week as he was on the health and safety protocols list.
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