On a day All-Star voting opened, Josh Giddey made a big statement.
Giddey recorded his sixth triple-double for the season and moved into rare air for the Chicago Bulls in an upset win over the reeling Cleveland Cavaliers.
Plus Jock Landale caught fire with a career-best feat and starred in the clutch as the Memphis Grizzlies pulled out their own underdog victory for two big Aussie performances in the NBA.
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Giddey racked up 23 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, a block and an equal career-high five threes and Chicago cruised to a 127-111 home win over Cleveland on Thursday (all times AEDT).
It saw the 23-year old move into third all-time on Chicago’s triple-double list (13 from 94 games) behind only Scottie Pippen (15 from 856 games) and Michael Jordan (28 from 930 games).
Giddey joined Jordan as the only Bulls player with double-digit 20-point triple-doubles, while the Aussie is the first player in franchise history to secure a triple-double with five-plus threes.
He also became the first Bulls player with 400-plus points, 200-plus rebounds and 200-plus assists in the first 25 games of the season in a glittering first full campaign for Chicago, despite the team’s recent woes.
Giddey and Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson are tied for the equal second-most triple-doubles this season behind Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic (12).
Giddey post-match embraced with fellow Aussie and Cavs rookie Tyrese Proctor, who played only seven minutes.
While Chicago trailed for the majority of the first quarter, Giddey was bright spot for the hosts with eight points, two triples and three rebounds in the opening period.
The Bulls gathered momentum in the second term, winning the period 29-24 to take a 62-58 lead at half-time.
Chicago opened the second half on a 7-0 run including back-to-back assists from Giddey to give the home side a then game-high 11-point advantage.
That lead went out to as much as 14 in the third term before Cleveland gradually clawed its way back into the game. It included a Thomas Bryant dunk pulling Chicago’s advantage back to 93-88 in the final minute of the period.
A big Giddey three in the first minute of the fourth term pushed the Bulls lead back out to double-figures at 98-88, and the Bulls, who led by as much as 19, never let Cleveland back into the United Center contest.
“Best game the Bulls have played in a month and a half,” Chicago commentator Adam Amin said during the fourth quarter.
Fellow caller Stacey King responded: “They look like a totally different team.”
Coby White put up 25 points for Chicago and Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and nine rebounds.
It marked the Bulls’ first home win since November 22nd — 25 days ago — and their first win over Cleveland since February 2024 — 658 days ago.
The 11-15 Bulls have now won two of their last three matches, with a loss to New Orleans wedged between, following a seven-game losing streak.
“We’ve been trying to get back here for a while now,” Giddey said post-match.
“We started the season off the right way and obliviously we went through a tough stretch over the last 10 or so games.
“I thought tonight was a really, really good step in the right direction against a really good team … (and) a team in a similar situation to us in terms of they haven’t been playing their best of late.
“So great win. These fans show out every night for us, so we have to give them something to cheer for. I thought tonight was a really good step in the right direction.”
Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 32 points for Cleveland, but it wasn’t enough as the Cavs continue to dwindle.
They’ve won just three of their past 10 games to fall to 15-13 overall after going into the season as the favourites to come out of the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland has been impacted by injury woes all season including Even Mobley currently sidelined with a calf issue.
The two sides will meet again in Cleveland on Saturday.
In Minnesota, Landale put up a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench and got hot down the stretch in Memphis’ 116-110 upset win over the Timberwolves.
Landale drained a career-best four triples — three in the fourth term alone — and finished as a +19 — the second best plus/minus of any player.
It included the Aussie big man hitting two big threes in the dying minutes of the game to help close out the win for the Grizzlies.
The 30-year old shot 8-of-15 from the field overall with two steals and a block in his 30 minutes.
It marked Landale’s second 20 and 10 game for Memphis to continue the Aussie centre’s career-best NBA season at his fourth team. His averages over 11 points, 5.6 rebounds and 43 per cent 3-point shooting are all career-high returns.
Landale starred alongside fellow big Jaren Jackson Jr. (28 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks) for an undermanned Grizzlies team missing Ja Morant, Zach Edey and Cam Spencer.
Memphis won its second in a row to inch closer to .500 at 13-14 — the same record as the Golden State Warriors — and consolidated its play-in spot after the injury-hit Grizzlies started the season 4-11.
“It’s just a testament to everyone kind of staying ready at all times and being able to step in on a moment’s notice,” Landale post-match.
“It was cool (to see some big shots fall). Just try and make the right play, and if I’m open, I’ll let it go. If not, I’ll kick it somewhere else.
“I try not to overthink the game and my level of aggressiveness and I try and make the best of the opportunity I get.
“I put in a lot of work with my boy Mike in the off-season and it is nice to see it kind of come to fruition and be playing with a confidence in that shot.
“It’s an asset to any team and I think having versatility with Jaren and the big forwards we have out there, it makes it hard (for the opposition) when you have five on the perimeter.
“Hopefully it’s something I can keep growing and using when necessary. Not forgetting, at the end of the day, I’m a five and I’ve got to roll and put pressure on the rim as well. It’s fun.”
Julius Randle’s 21 points led all five Timberwolves starters in double figures as Chris Finch’s side, which was without Anthony Edwards (foot) for a third-straight game, fell to 17-10.
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