Australian basketball’s two brightest stars went head to head in the NBA on Sunday (AEDT), and both of them would have felt they claimed bragging rights.
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Josh Giddey’s Chicago Bulls defeated Dyson Daniels’ Atlanta Hawks 125-113, thanks to a 35-15 final quarter where the Hawks couldn’t buy a bucket.
It was a tantalising match-up for Aussie hoops fans, with Giddey and Daniels matched up on each other as they find their feet after both being traded in the off-season.
Daniels was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans and is flourishing in Atlanta’s starting line-up as the go-to defensive stopper playing alongside Trae Young.
The 21-year-old put on another defensive clinic against the Bulls and Giddey was one of his victims.
Early in the third quarter, Giddey was dribbling up the court but Daniels picked his pocket, stealing the ball and going down the other end for an easy lay-up.
Watch Daniels and Giddey battle it out in the video above
“Snooze, you loose,” the commentator said.
“That’s one of the things Dyson Daniels does. You can’t be careless with the ball around him.
“Dyson Daniels is amazing with his ability to get in the passing lanes and disrupt your offence.”
Daniels had another steal in the fourth quarter before copping a hard foul from Jalen Smith. But unfortunately he missed both free throws.
Giddey and Daniels were directly matched up with each other at times, and Giddey fought back — snaring a steal on Daniels and scoring a tough contested lay-up over his compatriot down the stretch.
The Aussie duo shared an embrace and a few words in a touching moment post-game.
Daniels finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and another big haul of six steals.
He leads the NBA in steals (3.3 per game) and is well on track to earn his first NBA All-Defensive nod, which would be the highest individual accolade by an Aussie since Ben Simmons was an All-Star.
It comes after Daniels picked up a career high seven steals in Atlanta’s one-point loss to the Pistons.
But Giddey got the last laugh on this occasion as the Bulls snapped a four-game losing streak as Atlanta fell to a 4-7 win loss record.
He had 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds as one of seven Chicago players to score double digit points.
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