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Giddey has been the highlight for the Australian contingent - after another big week in the NBA - despite Patty Mills and the Brooklyn Nets starting to find their rhythm, while Joe Ingles and the Utah Jazz sit top of the Western Conference.
Elsewhere, Australian superstar Ben Simmons remains off the court and at the centre of the league’s biggest storyline, with his 76ers teammate Mattise Thybulle has quietly been building a case to become a starter for Philly coach Doc rivers.
So let’s take a closer look at how each of the NBA’s Australian cohort went over the past seven days.
Josh Giddey – Oklahoma City Thunder
The 19-year-old Melbournian has had an impressive start to his NBA career and his star continues to rise after another big week on the court.
Giddey, who was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Thunder, has quickly become one of OKC’s most important players and led them to their first win of the season last Thursday with a historic performance against Lebron James and the Lakers.
His stat line of 18 points and 10 assists made the Aussie the second-youngest player in the NBA to record double-digit points and assists behind James himself.
Now only six games into his NBA career, Giddey has shown poise and composure beyond his years - with his coach Mark Daigneault already trusting him to lead possessions in the clutch.
Unfortunately, Giddey’s good form has not translated into wins for the rebuilding Thunder, who suffered a pair of defeats to Golden State Warriors last week to slump to a record of 1-5 going into the third week of the season.
The 2020-21 NBL Rookie of the Year will return to action for OKC today as they take on the LA Clippers, before a rematch with the Lakers on Friday and a home clash against San Antonio on Monday.
Patty Mills – Brooklyn Nets
Boomers star Patty Mills is adapting to life well in Brooklyn and is carving a key role on a team overflowing with superstar talent.
While it has been a mixed week on the stat sheet for the veteran guard, Mills has become a go-to player for coach Steve Nash as the Nets found their rhythm with three wins from their last four games.
Mills best performance was in last Tuesday’s 104 – 90 win against the Washington Wizards, where he scored 21 points alongside two rebounds and three assists.
While it was a big start to the week, Mills took a back seat to James Harden and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn’s wins against Indiana and Detroit, as well as the loss to Miami.
This week Mills will continue to bring his veteran experience from the bench as a star sixth man for the Nets as they take on the Hawks, Pistons, Raptors and Bulls over the next seven days.
Joe Ingles – Utah Jazz
Aussie sharpshooter Joe Ingles and the Utah Jazz are riding high at the top of the Western Conference after another big week in the NBA.
The Jazz has won five of the six games with Ingles providing plenty of scoring and veteran experience off the bench as their star sixth man.
Utah started last week with a win against Denver and Houston, with Ingles scoring 14 and providing five assists in the victory against the Rockets.
The resurgent Chicago Bulls handed Utah their first defeat of the season on Sunday, with Ingles nine points and six assists not enough to help the Jazz keep their perfect record.
A return to winning ways against the Bucks on Monday ensured the Jazz secured their spot on top of a competitive Western Conference.
Ingles seems locked into his role as sixth man for the Jazz with his mix of outside shooting, passing and defence vital for Utah’s second unit.
Matisse Thybulle - Philadelphia 76ers
Matisse Thybulle’s evolution into a must-start player continues with the Arizona-born Australian demonstrating a new scoring touch.
Despite being one of the league’s best defenders, Thybulle has struggled to fight his way into the 76ers starting rotation due to a lack of points in his game.
However, the 24-year-old showed he can do it all in Philadelphia’s win against Atlanta on Sunday - scoring 11 points and putting on two assists on top of his contribution of four steals and three blocks.
The 76ers shooting guard also featured in Friday’s win against Detroit, while he recorded two blocks and six points in a loss to New York on Wednesday.
Thybulle will be hoping to be rewarded with more court time if he continues to show he can get it done at both ends of the court.
Josh Green – Dallas Mavericks
Boomers rookie Josh Green’s battle for court time continues, with the Sydney product again forced to watch on for the majority of Dallas’s matches.
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Green featured in only two of the Mavs four games this week with a four-minute cameo in a win against the Rockers last Tuesday, and 17 minutes in Saturday’s loss to Denver.
The 20-year-old didn’t dress for Dallas’ wins against San Antonio and Sacramento.
Green will have a tough time carving out a bigger role on the Jason Kidd coached Mavs and must make the most of whatever time on the court he is given.
