Welcome to the Josh Giddey show.
The rookie will have the ball in his hands a lot the next few weeks because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be out.
Gilgeous-Alexander has a sprained ankle and will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break, the Thunder announced on Saturday. He injured his ankle in the third quarter against the Pacers on Friday night, leaving the game not to return.
Gilgeous-Alexander is having a strong season, averaging 22.7 points and 5.5 assists a game for the Thunder, taking a step forward as a floor general and star of a young team, a player they lean on in the clutch. He signed a max five-year, $173 million extension with the team last offseason.
With SGA out, Giddey, a rookie, will become the primary playmaker for the Thunder. OKC is 14-34 and sits 14th in the Western Conference; they are headed to the lottery this season (which was the plan for the rebuilding team).