Following Thursday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder backcourt duo Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey had arguably their best collective game together as they combined for 47 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.
This game marked the return of Gilgeous-Alexander after a 10-game absence due to an ankle sprain. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault noted after the game that Gilgeous-Alexander will play more off-ball and wants to increase Giddey’s on-ball role as the season progresses.
When asked about the duo’s potential, Giddey said he thinks that this could be one of the best backcourts in the NBA real soon.
“I love playing with (SGA). I think our chemistry is getting better. I think in a few years we could be one of the best backcourts in the league,” said Giddey.
This certainly isn’t outside of the realm of possibility as Gilgeous-Alexander (23) and Giddey (19) are close enough in age where their primes should intersect with each other. And considering just how well both have played in their NBA careers so far, the prime is most likely a consistent All-Star contender for both guards. The talent is definitely there but the million dollar question is about the fit of both guards as it seems like they both need the ball in order to get the most out of themselves. It’ll be something to watch for over the next few years to see if this backcourt duo can work out.
