After playing much of the last two seasons firmly in the shadow of Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey is starting to find some time in the spotlight.
Heading into Wednesday’s matchup with the visiting Indiana Pacers, Giddey is playing the best basketball of his young career.
The second-year guard has scored 20 or more points in three consecutive games, including a 28-point performance in Sunday’s win at Brooklyn, which matches a career high. Giddey has scored at least 20 points in eight of his last 12 contests.
Over the last nine games, Giddey is shooting 52.7 percent from the floor, raising his season percentage to 47.9 after shooting just under 42 percent as a rookie.
Giddey’s improvement has lifted the Thunder as a whole.
The Thunder comes into Wednesday’s game on a three-game winning streak, with all three victories coming on the road. Oklahoma City has also won three consecutive home games.
Indiana comes into the game on a season-long, four-game losing streak.
Pacers center Myles Turner returned for Monday’s loss at Milwaukee after missing three games with back spasms.
Turner finished with 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting in 36 minutes.
While Turner is working his way back in, the Pacers remain without guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has missed the last three games with a sprained elbow and knee bruise. Haliburton figures to miss several more games.
The Pacers have struggled, especially late in games, without Haliburton.
During the recent stretch without Haliburton, Indiana has allowed 125 points per game and is averaging 15.3 turnovers per game.
The Pacers have been outscored by an average of 8.3 points in the fourth quarter of the three games without Haliburton.
Wednesday’s meeting is the first of two between the teams this season. The Pacers have won three consecutive games in Oklahoma City.
