Aussie Star Josh Giddey Joins Magic and Bird in Overtime Epic in New York

Australian basketball sensation Josh Giddey delivered an impressive performance with 27 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win for his Chicago Bulls in a thrilling matchup against the New York Knicks. The Knicks ultimately triumphed with a narrow 113-111 victory in overtime on Friday (AEDT).

With this performance, Giddey has joined an elite club, becoming one of only three players to achieve 100 points, 50 rebounds, and 45 assists over the course of five games, alongside the iconic Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

Meanwhile, fellow Australian star Ben Simmons showcased his talents for the Los Angeles Clippers, despite the team losing 116-110 to the Milwaukee Bucks. Simmons registered four assists, including three in the span of just five minutes, alongside a perfect three-for-three shooting performance and five rebounds.

Giddey kicked off overtime at Madison Square Garden with a three-pointer, but the Knicks quickly retaliated with a 9-0 run, featuring three consecutive baskets from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns finished the game with an impressive 32 points and 18 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson contributed with 22 points and 12 assists. Miles McBride also made his mark with 22 points, and Mikal Bridges tallied 13 points with 10 rebounds for the undermanned Knicks, who improved to 36-18 in their first game following the All-Star break.

New York has now won three games in a row and nine of their last 11, although they were missing Josh Hart due to right kneecap pain and OG Anunoby, who sat out his sixth consecutive game with a sprained right foot.

Nikola Vucevic scored 21 points for the Bulls, who are now on a five-game losing streak.

Vucevic had a chance to secure the win with two seconds left in regulation, but his shot was blocked by Bridges under the basket.

Chicago managed to close the gap to 113-111, courtesy of baskets from Coby White, only to miss the opportunity to force a second overtime when Vucevic’s eight-foot jumper failed to find the net as time expired.

In the Clippers’ match against the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo made a successful return, scoring 23 points after missing six games due to a strained calf.

Antetokounmpo was limited to just under 24 minutes of play due to a minutes restriction, exiting the game with 6:27 remaining as the Bucks found themselves trailing 101-96.

Despite his absence, Milwaukee managed to rally from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Brook Lopez made a significant contribution with 22 points and put the Bucks ahead with a pivotal three-point play with 3:02 left on the clock.

Kawhi Leonard finished with 25 points, James Harden added 24, and Ivica Zubac recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Clippers, who were without Norman Powell due to knee soreness.

Milwaukee also had its challenges, missing Bobby Portis, who began a 25-game suspension after a positive test for Tramadol, a substance prohibited by the league’s anti-drug regulations. Portis stated that his use of Tramadol was accidental.