The Thunder's hopes of making the playoffs are still alive thanks in large part to Josh Giddey.
In Oklahoma City's Play-In Tournament win over New Orleans, Giddey led the way with a near triple-double of 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Not only is that tied for his career-high in points, but it also ties him with Ben Simmons for the most points scored by an Australian player in a postseason game.
Next up for the Thunder is a matchup against the Timberwolves. With a win, they'll earn the Western Conference's No. 8 seed and face Nikola Jokic's Nuggets in the first round.
Before the Thunder try to punch their ticket to the playoffs, let's peel back the curtain on Giddey's career night.
MORE: Did CJ McCollum call out Zion Williamson after Pelicans' Play-In loss?
Josh Giddey's shooting is coming along
Let's start with the headliner.
Giddey knocked down three 3-pointers against the Pelicans on seven attempts. He hit three or more 3-pointers only four times during the regular season.
Two of his triples came off the catch.
And one came off the dribble.
Shooting is still a work in progress for Giddey, but he has made legitimate strides this season. He's gone from connecting on 24.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts as a rookie to a more respectable 33.7 percent as a sophomore.
Giddey actually attempted fewer 3-pointers off the dribble this season (23) than he did last season (49), but he was more proficient pulling up from midrange.
He knocked down the one and only midrange shot he attempted against the Pelicans.
Don't sleep on Josh Giddey's driving game
More impressive than the shooting was Giddey's driving.
He is a tough matchup for opposing guards because of his size. At 6-8 and 216 pounds, he has similar measurements as forwards such as Brandon Ingram, Harrison Barnes and Brandon Clarke.
Giddey still has room to grow as a finisher, but he sure was aggressive attacking the basket against the Pelicans.
You might expect Giddey to score over someone much smaller than him like CJ McCollum.
But he finessed his way to finishes over both Ingram...
and Jaxson Hayes, who's a legit 7-footer.
Giddey did drive more this season and was an improved finisher. The seeds have been planted.
He should have similar opportunities against the Timberwolves. Finishing over Rudy Gobert will be a challenge, but the Thunder will likely look to attack Minnesota's smaller guards such as Mike Conley, Jaylen Nowell and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Josh Giddey's passing remains a standout skill
To go along with his 31 points, Giddey dished out a game-high 10 assists while committing only two turnovers. His last assist of the night was the most impressive.
The part about the Thunder likely looking to attack the smaller guards on the Timberwolves? They did that down the stretch against the Pelicans by targeting McCollum with a pick-and-roll between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey. The Pelicans didn't want to give up the switch, so Giddey found himself alone at the free throw line.
Giddey then did his best Draymond Green impression by drawing Hayes toward him on the short roll and setting Jalen Williams up for a dunk with a picture-perfect bounce pass.
It's only one game, but Giddey's all-around performance against the Pelicans showed what he could be if he continues to develop.
