Josh Giddey shows exciting highs and concerning flaws in Olympics

The Paris Olympics were full of highs and lows for Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls with big wins and heartbreaking defeats that showed his full range of skills as well as some concerns.

Game 4: Serbia 95 Australia 90 OT

Josh Giddey and team Australia came in to the quarter finals with much more urgency than their previous match-up with Greece. After a hot start, they could not hold on to move past Serbia and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic ending their Olympic medal hopes.

The Boomers played with increased pace, ball movement and player movement, much like they did early in international play. At the heart of the start was the energy of Josh Giddey. He was intentional in pushing the pace of the play and was aggressive offensively and attentive defensively. He score eight points in the opening frame and finished the first half with13 points. Giddey's assertiveness paired with the hot shooting of Patty Mills (20 first half points) had the Aussies up 12 at intermission.

An early 24-point advantage held by the Aussies was erased by the 3rd quarter as the Boomers were once again plagued by a bad stretch of play. Giddey and company would be able to regroup just when it felt the Serbians would take control of the game. In the final minutes of regulation, Giddey would make multiple clutch plays including hitting a three-pointer and making a tough runner on the left side.

Overtime was back and forth, Giddey would hit another three when the Serbians were trying to mount a lead. Giddey continued to be aggressive and create for himself and the Aussies. However, the reigning MVP would takeover down the stretch of overtime to advance to semi-finals.

The Aussies finished Olympic play with a 1-3 record. At first glance, the overall record is underwhelming, but the competitiveness that was displayed showed promise for the country from down under. In reality, the difference between being 4-0 and playing in the semi-finals was a few possessions.

Josh Giddey's stats vs. Serbia

33 Minutes - 25 points - 3/5 3PT - 5 REB - 4 AST - 7 TO

After a sluggish game against Greece, we saw a bounce back game for Giddey. This was important for Bulls fans to see. The ability for a player to respond is to critical for their overall development. Giddey did that for the Boomers, playing arguably his best game of the Olympics. His energy was improved on the defense end as he was playing with knee bent and active hands. He also was much more aggressive going to the boards on every shot. When at his best he plays free in transition and with his ability to see the court and attack downhill.

A key takeaway with Giddey's performance down the stretch was the fact he wanted the ball. The couple of clutch three pointers continues to be a promising sign from a player that has been deemed as a non-shooter. The fact that he had confidence in himself in this big of game is a promising sign.

Giddey once again was loose with the ball with 7 turnovers, but overall he put together a strong performance to cap off his Olympic run.

Josh Giddey's Olympic Stats

4 Games - 17.5 PPG - 47% 3PT - 7.8 REB - 6 AST - 5 TO

Giddey will now get some much needed rest as the Boomers have bowed out of Olympic play. Next up is his debut with a Bulls team that is attempting to change its identitiy. Stay tuned as we evaluate Giddey's overall performance from Paris and what that means for the Bulls this upcoming season.