CHICAGO – Josh Giddey had another reason to smile after the Chicago Bulls’ 116-111 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Giddey returned after a four-game absence and recorded his second triple-double in a Bulls uniform. He finished with 23 points, a game-high 15 rebounds, and a team-high 10 assists. In his first game since December 16, Giddey put in one of his most efficient performances of the season. He enjoyed 9 of 15 shots, turned the ball over just twice and left the court with a game-high plus-18.

But there was more.

After avoiding an initially serious injury to his right foot, Giddey played 29 minutes without complications. (He joined Jimmy Butler and Tom Boerwinkle as the only players in franchise history to record a triple-double in less than 30 minutes.) But none of Giddey’s 29 minutes on Saturday were more impressive than his last eight. He scored nine points in that window – including the go-ahead 3-pointer – and went on to add six rebounds, three assists and a key defensive stop.

“He’s a pretty good player,” Bulls guard Zach LaVine said.

Giddey couldn’t have demonstrated his all-round abilities better. Just last month, the 22-year-old was openly self-critical after a difficult start to his debut season in Chicago. He challenged himself to “get a lot better.” He looked inward and was disappointed by what he discovered. Giddey promised to play harder, defend better, grab more rebounds and give his teammates free shots. Bulls coach Billy Donovan began using Giddey in the final lineup until he made corrections.

And then a late sequence on Saturday showed how committed Giddey was to tear himself off the screen and prove he has a future with the Bulls’ squad.

With 1:11 left, Giddey scored a corner without hesitation after a pass from Coby White. It gave the Bulls a 109-108 lead and showed Giddey can make a shot in a pressure-filled moment. Despite these many talents, jumping is one of his weaknesses.

JOSH GIDDEY IN THE CLUTCH. @CHSN__ | @JoshGiddey pic.twitter.com/gHkkX15pnx

– Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 29, 2024

On the Bulls’ subsequent defensive possession, Giddey defended. In doing so, he demonstrated his progress in another area.

The fourth-year guard dug in and slowed a rush from Khris Middleton with textbook man-to-man defense. He first fought for a screen from Brook Lopez before straightening his body to regain strength after recovery, shuffling his feet to close off Middleton’s airspace and twice forcing Middleton to change direction. On Middleton’s second, Bulls forward Patrick Williams darted over to steal the ball from behind before going the other way for a layup that gave the Bulls a three-point lead.

Giddey smiled when asked which game he appreciated more: his three-point shooting or his suffocating defense against Middleton.

“Definitely the defense,” Giddey said. “I wanted to show more pride on that side of the ball probably 10, 12 games ago. I met with Billy and we talked about finishing the games and making a difference. Even when the offense isn’t going well, you have to have a solid grip on that side of the ball. So I really tried to refine this site. It won’t be perfect. It’s not going to be for anyone, but I just made it a point to really be locked in on that side of the ball.”

Giddey said his turning point came after a loss in Cleveland on Nov. 15, a night in which the Cavs targeted him relentlessly and exposed his limitations more than in any other game this season. In an 18-point loss, Giddey’s performance against Cleveland was worse than his box score suggested: five points, three rebounds, one assist, four fouls, 2 of 9 overall shooting and a 1 of 5 mark on 3-pointers in 15 minutes. Of course, it’s harder to stay in front of Cavs guard Darius Garland than Middleton, but Saturday was a huge step in the right direction for Giddey.

“He’s not afraid of a moment,” LaVine said. “I know that.”

Bulls reserve guard Ayo Dosunmu, who earned the final minutes against Giddey, will be out for at least 10 days with a right calf strain he suffered in the last game against Milwaukee on Dec. 23. In his absence, the Bulls have focused on Giddey’s length.

“The feeling on the bench was (Damian) Lillard shooting 3s, (Brook) Lopez shooting 3s and Middleton isolating,” Donovan said. “But they’re twos and Josh has length. So we were hoping not to hinder him and make him shoot over him. I thought Josh was really competitive and struggled defensively.”

Giddey said studying film helped him recognize needed improvements, but at some point progress has to be made between the lines.

“There are only so many movies you can watch,” Giddey said. “It is your will and your desire to do it. And I flipped that switch, and I want to do it now. I wanted to be proud of that and put myself in the position where I had to sit down and guard the ball. I really tried to focus on that side of the ball and make it a point to hold my own and not be the weak link on that side of the ball. You get to a point in your NBA career where you are who you are, and I didn’t want to be like that on defense.”

It starts with better effort.

“Some guys are naturally gifted on that side of the ball,” Giddey said. “Other guys require a lot of effort. And I definitely fall into that category…The offense will be there. But it’s the other side of the ball and I’m proud of that. It wasn’t perfect, but my effort on that side of the ball was where it needed to be. And it has to stay that way.”

(Top Photos: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)