Brutally honest Giddey finally looks like his old self

• Josh Giddey had 19 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds against Philadelphia
• He called his first seven games as tough a stretch as he's had
• Five Australians played: Thybulle had four steals, Green a season-high 10 points

Bulls point guard Josh Giddey was brutally honest about his start to the 2026-27 NBA season after Chicago lost 127-121 to LeBron James' Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, November 9, 2026 (AEDT).

The 24-year-old Australian, for the first time this season, looked like his old self, putting up 19 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds to be a team-leading +9 in 34 minutes.

The Bulls dropped to 1-8.

"The first seven games, I felt like I was playing a lot of east-west, laterally across the court, instead of getting downhill into the paint," Giddey said in the locker room.

"I spoke with the coaches about it as well. We were looking at it statistically. When we hit the paint, we create points way better than when we don't hit the paint.

"Just trying to put an emphasis on getting down there. It doesn't mean I have to score or shoot the ball. I can collapse the defence, kick it out, and other guys can make plays.

"Just trying to be aggressive. I probably played as tough or bad a seven-game stretch as I've had in my career in those first few games.

"But just making an effort to get in the paint and trying to create things. That's what I've tried to do these last few games."

Eight games into last season, 23-year-old Giddey was averaging 22.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 9.8 assists. Chicago was 6-2, and the Boomers floor general was establishing himself as one of the NBA's most productive playmakers.

Eight games into Tiago Splitter's tenure, the Bulls were 1-7. Giddey's scoring has collapsed to 9.3 points, his rebounds have almost halved, and he's playing almost six fewer minutes a night. An injury cloud hangs over his wrist, but Splitter has said, "I haven't seen it affect his play."

"I've just got to get in the paint, draw a crowd," Giddey added.

"Guys do a good job finishing plays, making shots. Just continuing to put an emphasis, not just me, but everybody. When we touch the paint, we look good. I think our points per possession are way higher when we touch the paint.

"Tonight, guys made shots and finished off looks, so it makes my job easy."

The Melbourne-born 2.01m playmaker had seven assists in the first six minutes.

"Guys made shots, and they make my job easy," Giddey said.

"We speak about it a lot. When we touch the paint, our points per possession are way higher than when we don't touch the paint.

"We've got great guys around me that run the floor. I can kick it ahead to them. They can touch the paint. It doesn't just have to be me.

"We look really good when we hit the paint. It's just a matter of continuing to do that and not settling for contested stuff early.

"That's when we can get in a little bit of trouble. When we hit the paint, we look really good and we get good shots."

Five Australians played on Monday, November 9 (AEDT), and their teams went 3-2 combined: wins for Matisse Thybulle's Lakers, Rocco Zikarsky's Timberwolves and Kyrie Irving's Mavericks, losses for Josh Giddey's Bulls and Josh Green's Jazz.

Philadelphia 76ers 127 Chicago Bulls 121 (Final)

Josh Giddey's season-high 15 assists in a Bulls loss to the 76ers at United Center on Monday, November 9 (AEDT)

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey started and had 19 points, seven rebounds (three offensive), 15 assists and a steal in 34 minutes as the Bulls lost 127-121 to the Philadelphia 76ers. He shot 7-from-12, 1-from-4 from three and 4-from-5 at the line, with five turnovers, and finished plus-nine.

His points, assists and minutes were all season highs, and his 15 assists were his most in a game since his career-high 19 against Cleveland in March. Seven came in his first stint of just under seven minutes, four of them to Jalen Smith, and the last put Chicago ahead 23-16.

Philadelphia led 68-61 at half-time and 99-93 after three quarters. Giddey scored seven points in a 2:34 stretch of the fourth, including a three and two free throws, and his assists on Caleb Wilson's three and Isaac Okoro's three-point play got the Bulls within 118-116 with three minutes left. Tyrese Maxey's step-back three made it 123-116. Giddey then found Matas Buzelis for a dunk to cut it to 123-120, but Jaylen Brown hit two free throws and LeBron James stole the ball from Giddey with 38 seconds left.

Brown scored 29, Maxey 27 and James 22, and Joel Embiid had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the 9-2 76ers. Buzelis scored 19 and Wilson 18 for the 1-8 Bulls, who have lost seven in a row.

Next: San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls, Thursday, November 12, 12:00pm.

Los Angeles Lakers 121 Detroit Pistons 116 (Final)

Matisse Thybulle's four steals in a Lakers win over the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Monday, November 9 (AEDT)

Los Angeles Lakers wing Matisse Thybulle started and had four points, two rebounds and four steals in 28 minutes as the Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 121-116. He shot 2-from-5 and 0-from-3 from three, with no turnovers, and finished even.

His four steals were a season high. He took the ball from Ausar Thompson twice in the first quarter, which Los Angeles won 38-14, and then from Daniss Jenkins and Cade Cunningham.

Detroit won the next three quarters 102-83 and got within a point three times in the fourth, the last at 97-96 with 4:23 left, but never went ahead. Austin Reaves scored 43 and Walker Kessler had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the 9-2 Lakers, who have won five in a row. Jenkins scored 31 and Kevin Huerter 24 for the 6-3 Pistons.

Next: Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta Hawks, Tuesday, November 10, 11:00am.

Minnesota Timberwolves 115 Utah Jazz 100 (Final)

Josh Green's season-high 10 points and Rocco Zikarsky's first minutes of the season at Target Center on Monday, November 9 (AEDT)

Utah Jazz guard Josh Green started and had 10 points and an assist in 28 minutes as the Jazz lost 115-100 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He shot 3-from-6, 1-from-3 from three and 3-from-5 at the line, with no rebounds and no turnovers, and finished plus-one.

His 10 points were a season high. His three early in the third quarter tied the game 57-57, and he had a dunk, a layup and an assist on a Jaxson Hayes dunk.

Minnesota led 57-51 at half-time and 90-78 after three quarters. Darryn Peterson scored 26 and Keyonte George had 19 points and eight assists for the 1-9 Jazz. Ayo Dosunmu scored 26 and LaMelo Ball 24 for the 8-3 Timberwolves.

Minnesota two-way centre Rocco Zikarsky came on with 1:44 left for his first minutes of the regular season. He had an offensive rebound and was called for an offensive foul in two minutes.

Next: Miami Heat at Utah Jazz, Wednesday, November 11, 1:00pm. Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, November 13, 12:00pm.

Dallas Mavericks 130 Brooklyn Nets 93 (Final)

Kyrie Irving's 21 points in three quarters as the Mavericks rout the Nets at American Airlines Center on Monday, November 9 (AEDT)

Kyrie Irving's 21 points in three quarters as the Mavericks rout the Nets at American Airlines Center on Monday, November 9 (AEDT)

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving started and had 21 points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal in 29 minutes as the Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 130-93. He shot 9-from-15, 2-from-7 from three and 1-from-1 at the line, with three turnovers, and finished plus-14. Irving was born in Melbourne and represents the United States.

He had nine points in the first quarter and 10 in the third, finishing it with a three-point play with two seconds left for a 100-71 lead, and sat out the fourth.

Cooper Flagg had 25 points and 12 assists and Daniel Gafford 18 points for the 6-4 Mavericks. Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 for the 2-8 Nets.

Next: Indiana Pacers at Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, November 10, 12:00pm.