I’ll be honest. I’ve flipped on Giddey since this whole thing began. I was a big proponent of being patient and letting him work out his early season slump. My thinking was that a version of Giddey that progressed and built on last year could be a very good player and asset, even if his fit with the rest of the team was a bit awkward. I know the lineup data says Shai has always done better with Giddey off the floor, but I wanted to give Giddey the shot to turn that around because his ceiling is so tantalizing.

His performance through the quarter pole would be a concern even without the off court issues. He’s regressed in pretty much every way. Not only is he scoring less efficiently, his playmaking has taken a dive this season, and this is supposed to be his elite skill. He’s also rebounding less on a team that desperately needs him to use his size on the boards.

If the booing and poor performance continue for much longer, I’m not sure how that can’t impact the team. It’s getting harder to justify protecting him and running him out there. He feels like a rock that the team is tied to and I have to think there will be a point where the team feels it’s time to untether themselves.

Shai turns it up even further. Crazy efficiency averaging 31+. The game slows down for Chet and he’s a legit all-NBA candidate in one of the best rookie campaigns in a long time. Jdub turns it on and takes another leap in the second half of the season, locking in his place as the key second creator. Dort and Cason stay north of 40% from range, Joe is 45%+. Team defense is just havoc in the passing lanes and contesting at the rim.

And I know I’m gonna get downvoted for this, but to me the most realistic way we reach this highly unrealistic scenario is Giddy and parts are traded for a big body that can clean the glass and bang around down low.

What makes this a particularly important game? Battling for 1st place in November isn’t exactly high stakes.

Ugh. Bad decision, Giddey. He had Joe streaking toward the ball and ready for a tough turnaround 3 but I’d take that (and the chance for the 3 shot foul) over Shai getting it 33 ft from the basket.

4pt play pls

Oh fuck. This going to Chet or Joe?

I will give a testicle for this team to stay together.

Quick two then shut them down on the next possession.

It annoys me to say but Gobert is v obviously in Chet’s head.

Everyone coming after Mark right now for his minutes allocation…. Chill. The games that matter happen in the spring.

This game gonna ruin me.

I just realized something on that last possession. We are so good at finding dudes open in the paint who then overpass back out to the perimeter. I don’t know if this is a coaching, personnel or development issue. But our dudes need to be more willing to to attack/create when they’re <5ft from the rim.

I have to say… the great thing about JDub is even when he has a bad, off night, he’s always fucking solid on D. It’s such a relief to root for a team that has so many players like that.

I realized this game Joe is the only player in OKC that has unbridled confidence in his 3p shot. Everyone else hesitates a half second to consider whether this is a good shot. Lol, wait, Bertans has that too.

Shake Milton has money on OKC

Ok though, if you’re Minny you need to get Ant out of the game. And okc needs to attack him. Ant is obviously hurt.

Ok that legit sucks if Ant is out for a while. Yeah, he’s reckless, but that’s part of his appeal. I mean, I actually can’t believe Russ never had an air-borne incident like this…

Cmon Joe. How do you not know the clock there?

Great recovery by JDub on that possession.

Get Joe and Kenrich in.