Aussie superstar Josh Giddey breaks 61-year-old record in latest NBA triumph

Aussie superstar Josh Giddey has somehow managed to take his game to new heights, registering his third straight triple double.

Josh Giddey is going from strength to strength. Picture: Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

Aussie superstar Josh Giddey has become the first NBA rookie in more than half a century to register triple doubles in three consecutive games.

In January, the 19-year-old OKC Thunder guard became the youngest player in league history to record a triple double and is now also the second, third and fourth to do so, having pulled off his third triple-double in a row against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday afternoon (AEDT).

Giddey managed 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 17 points to become the only first-year player since Oscar Robertson in the 1960-61 season to record triple-doubles in three consecutive games. Robertson and Giddey are the only two players ever to accomplish the feat, and Giddey is the first to do it as a teenager.

His efforts inspired a late surge from the Thunder, but the NBA’s youngest side ultimately came up short, 114-106.

“He’s a good player,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said at full-time.

“I thought he played a really good floor game tonight. The triple-double stuff is just a byproduct of how he’s playing.”

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Giddey entered the final quarter against the Spurs in high single figures for rebounds, assists and points.

Just as both offences appeared to be cooling off, the 19-year-old Aussie got to work. He made a daring underarm inbound pass to Theo Maledon, who landed a lay-up and handed Giddey his 10th assist.

Josh Giddey cannot be stopped. Picture:(Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

With the game on the line, Giddey put his foot on the accelerator and registered just under half of his points in the final period.

His efforts impressed NBA legend and Thunder commentator Michael Cage.

“That’s a bad man on the drive to the basket like that!” he said.

“He is learning to play with contact. He doesn’t look at the officials at all. He’s just like, ‘I’m going to go with what I know I can control’.”

With just more than three minutes on the game clock, Giddey pulled down his 10th rebound to seal his fourth career triple-double.

Commentators said the young Aussie had shown it wasn’t just Americans who could change the game in the NBA.

“He’s born outside the country, in Australia, so it’s a different type of basketball? No it’s not. The basketball is still the same,” Cage said.

“I’ll tell you one thing, skill travels. Even from Australia, that’s a long way to the States but he’s got some skill,” added Thunder play-by-play announcer Chris Fisher.

Giddey has been named the Rookie of the Month for the Western Conference for each of the past three months and, with at least three triple doubles to his name in February, it seems impossible he’ll miss out this time around.

The young Aussie will test his wares against the most exciting young players in the league when he takes part in the Rising Stars mini-tournament and the Skills Challenge at All Stars Weekend from Saturday morning (AEDT).

Mills’ Nets are finally back in the winners circle (Photo by Michelle Farsi/Getty Images)

Elsewhere on Thursday (AEDT), Patty Mills and the Brooklyn Nets won their second straight game, coming back in the final quarter to ice local rivals the New York Knicks, 111-106.

Mills finished the game with lukewarm figures; he managed only eight points, two assists and two rebounds from his 38 minutes on the floor.

Regardless, things are now looking up for the Nets, who have put a dismal 11-game skid behind them and recently acquired Mills’ countryman and former top draft pick Ben Simmons.

The former 76er was traded to the Nets in exchange for James Harden and is aiming to play his first game on March 10, when Brooklyn meets his old side.

Originally published as Aussie superstar Josh Giddey breaks 61-year-old record in latest NBA triumph