‘It’s very Ben Simmons’: Giddey copping huge heat amid OKC’s ill-timed playoff wobbles

Josh Giddey’s NBA playoff form is heading in the wrong direction and it’s leading to an unwanted comparison among Aussie basketball talent.

The 21-year-old continues to hold down a spot in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s starting unit, but that is being seriously questioned by a number of observers.

Watch the best of the NBA Playoffs LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

Shooting has never been Giddey’s forte, but he had shown improved form from three-point range – such a critical factor for modern NBA guards – late in the regular season.

But he has taken major steps backwards in the postseason as his top-seeded team stares down a serious battle in the Western Conference second round against Dallas.

Giddey was used by coach Mark Daigneault for 17 minutes in the first game of the best-of-seven series and produced just two points, five boards and two assists in the 117-95 win, missing both three-point attempts.

He was used for just 11 minutes in game two, a 119-110 defeat, recording eight points, two boards and again missing both three-pointers he shot.

In Sunday’s (AEST) game three, he managed nine points, two boards and a lone assist, hitting 1-of-4 from deep, in another 13 minutes of court time as the Thunder suffered a 105-101 loss that gives the fifth-seeded Mavericks a 2-1 edge in the series.

Giddey has often been left wide open while taking three-point attempts this season as he’s not considered a serious threat beyond the arc.

He improved his percentage slightly in year three to 33.7 per cent in the regular season and is shooting 38.5 per cent from deep through seven postseason games, managing 4-of-7 and 4-of-6 in the final two games of the first-round series with New Orleans.

But he has hit just one of his seven attempts across three games against Dallas.

Looking at the NBA’s plus-minus stat that charts a player’s effectiveness while on court, Giddey has a total of minus-28 points when he is on the floor.

A number of media members are now calling for him to be benched to help save the Thunder’s season.

“Should the Thunder bench Josh Giddey?” journalist and podcast host Kevin O’Connor captioned a post on X.

“OKC is a minus-27 in his 28 minutes through (the first) two games. Dallas is barely defending him, clogging the paint for everyone else.”

O’Connor had a chat with fellow journalist Chris Vernon about the issue on the Mismatch podcast.

“Oklahoma City might need to bench Josh Giddey,” O’Connor starts.

“The offence runs better without Giddey. I know (Thunder star) Chet (Holmgren) didn’t have a great game two, but Giddey’s the only one who looks overmatched.

“We’re seeing him go from 17 minutes in game one, 11 minutes in game two, it would not shock me one bit if he’s just completely benched moving forward in the series.”

That’s when Vernon compared Giddey to injury-plagued compatriot Ben Simmons, a former NBA All-Star who is renowned for his complete inability to shoot.

“You want to make Oklahoma City play as much halfcourt basketball as possible,” O’Connor said.

“If they are having to play that much halfcourt basketball, Giddey is useless.

“Giddey is the kind of guy that could create things, but he has to have the ball in his hands.

“The non-shooting guy has to have the ball in his hands, so now he’s a drive and kicker.

“He’s not going to have the ball in his hands. We’re taking the ball out of SGA’s (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) hands? No.

“It is very Ben Simmons. He does everything else really well.”

O’Connor added: “It’s the Ben Simmons problem.

“It’s different to have shooting success in the regular season than it is in the playoffs.”

Vernon replied: “I promise you there’s nothing more that (Dallas coach) Jason Kidd wants than for Josh Giddey to shoot it. Shoot it 30 times if you want.”

Another well-known US journalist, Bomani Jones, made a different analogy when assessing Giddey.

“Josh Giddey plays like he’s just staying in shape for soccer season. Just running around in some low tops, randomly doing things,” he wrote on X.

“Actually a perfect analogy,” came one reply.

“I’m a Thunder fan and this is the most accurate description I’ve ever heard about a human,” added another.

Despite his troubles, Giddey has been retained in Daigneault’s starting five all season and in fact has started all 218 games across three seasons in the league to date.

The Victorian will be under increasing pressure when OKC tries to level the series in game four in Dallas on Tuesday (AEST).