Josh Giddey was two steals from a quadruple-double vs. the Lakers on Saturday. Last summer, the Chicago Bulls made one of the earliest offseason splashes when they acquired Josh Giddey from Oklahoma City in exchange for Alex Caruso. The Thunder valued Caruso’s defense, while the Bulls added a two-way playmaker with size – still on his rookie deal. Nine months later, Chicago’s return on investment is paying off. Giddey is a nightly triple-double threat now, averaging 22.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game since the All-Star break. His usage rate, meanwhile, has only risen from 20% to 23.7%. His versatility was on display Saturday against the Lakers. Giddey finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists and eight steals. Chicago won handily, 146-115 , improving to 7-2 over their last nine games. Giddey’s playmaking also puts his teammates in a position to succeed. Coby White and Matas Buzelis each had 30-point outings against the Lakers, while Nikola Vučević also added a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Chicago’s roster shuffle continued at the February trade deadline. The Bulls dealt Zach LaVine in a multi-team trade, receiving Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and their own 2025 first-round pick in return. Since the All-Star break, the Bulls are tied for third in points per game (121.1), sixth in the league in assists per game (29.3) and eighth in rebounds (45.6). Chicago is currently No. 9 in the East, two games behind eighth-place Orlando, as postseason positioning takes shape. Coach Billy Donovan’s squad is streaking, and it should not come as a surprise if the Bulls secure home-court advantage for the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.
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