Bulls' Josh Giddey has gone from rock bottom to serviceable defender
The pack will always look for the weak.
They will sniff him out, track him, and relentlessly strike time and time again.
It’s the law of the jungle. And as Bulls guard Zach LaVine described it, life in the NBA where you’re either the hunter or the hunted.
Guess what Josh Giddey was? Put it this way, he wasn’t doing much hunting.
He admitted as much back in November, pulled for his poor defense in a 144-126 loss in Cleveland after watching Cavaliers player after player seek him out and go at him.
“Just didn’t guard well enough, myself right on top of that list, probably one, two and three on that list,” Giddey admitted afterward.
His rock bottom.
Fast forward to late in Saturday’s win over Milwaukee. There was Giddey, isolated against the Bucks’ Khris Middleton and actually making life difficult for the former NBA champion. So much so that Middleton missed the potential game-tying jumper with 12 seconds left, leading to a Giddey rebound and icing the game from the free throw line.
That’s why when Giddey – who also finished with a triple-double – was asked afterward what he was prouder of – his late offense or his defense, there was no hesitation.
“Definitely the defense,” he replied.
It’s taken four-plus seasons, definitely way too long, but there has been an awakening for Giddey.
“I’d say that game in Cleveland was probably the turning point,” Giddey said. “I was like, ‘Damn … I’ve got to …’ I mean eventually as a player the fork kind of gets pitched in the road where it’s kind of like, ‘I’ve played four years in the league and you kind of start to become who you are.’ That game kind of played in my mind for a while and I was like, ‘I’ve got to make a stand on that side of the ball.’
“It’s the effort and that’s not where it needed to be. It’s something I really wanted to take pride in. Some guys are naturally gifted on that side of the ball, and other guys it requires a lot of effort. I definitely fall into that category.”
It not only took effort, but a heart-to-heart with coach Billy Donovan and a lot of film study. And while Giddey isn’t about to make anyone forget about Alex Caruso, his showing against Milwaukee at least allows for some optimism on that side of the ball.
“I’ve seen growth in that area, and I’ve seen more competitiveness in that area,” Donovan said of Giddey. “Again, he’s got good size, good length, he’s got (good) feet. The biggest thing is how he can navigate screening actions and get over it. He’s capable, but he has to do it consistently.”
An opinion even shared by Giddey’s Bulls teammates.
“Josh has always been competitive, and guys are going to try and go at certain people in certain matchups regardless,” LaVine said. “That’s just what the NBA is. He’s not afraid of any moment, I know that.”
Now, before anyone starts jumping the gun and nominating Giddey for a spot on the NBA All-Defensive team, it’s important to point out that he played late-game hero because Middleton sought him out, and secondly, because Ayo Dosunmu was sidelined with a calf injury.
The real test will come when the Bulls are whole again, and then will Donovan lean on Giddey late? Giddey hopes so.
“I watched video, but there’s only so much film you can watch,” Giddey said of his turnaround on defense. “It’s your will and your want to do it. I flipped that switch, and I want to do it now.
“Make an emphasis of standing my ground and not being the weak link on that side of the ball.”