NBA: Aussie NBA star Josh Giddey’s stunning run continues

Josh Giddey is out with a hip injury but his February heroics in the NBA delivered him another honour in his brilliant rookie season.

Australia’s Josh Giddey has won the NBA’s western conference rookie of the month for the fourth time in a row. Picture: Jason Miller

Josh Giddey is now a perfect four from four for rookie of the month honours in the NBA’s western conference.

Australia’s star point guard averaged 16.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists for Oklahoma City in February, leading all rookies in total rebounds and assists and ranking third in points.

Those impressive numbers came in an increased role, with team leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out recovering from a right ankle sprain.

Giddey amassed three triple-doubles in a row in a five-day period during that month, joining all-time great Oscar Robertson as the only rookies in NBA history to achieve the feat.

But the 19-year-old’s hip injury, which sidelined him from the Thunder’s past three games, has placed his overall rookie of the year hopes in jeopardy.

Oklahoma City point guard Josh Giddey continues to set the NBA alight. Picture: Jason Miller

Coach Mark Daigneault hinted this week that Giddey wouldn’t return soon after previously weighing up giving him the ball even more on offence because of his impressive February form.

“We’ve got to be able to utilise (Giddey’s) strengths,” Daigneault said.

“He’s a really good initiator, he’s a really good creator and we’ve got to use that part of his game to unlock the potential of the team.

“It’s going to require Shai to make some plays off the ball a little bit where he’s driving close-outs and he’s shooting open shots.

Australian guard Josh Giddey is sidelined with a hip injury. Picture: Nathaniel S. Butler

“But it’s also going to take some load off of Shai. He’s not going to have to work as hard.”

Giddey was the sixth pick in last year’s NBA draft and has averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists across 54 games in a brilliant rookie season.

He was also selected for the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend.

Cleveland centre Evan Mobley is widely regarded as the rookie of the year frontrunner, but Giddey sits in a standout group of four players given some shot at that prestigious title.

Toronto forward Scott Barnes and the draft’s No.1 selection, Cade Cunningham, of Detroit, are the others.