Josh Giddey triple-double in win vs. Bucks, Naji Marshall vs. Jusuf Nurkic fight, brawl, Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns, suspensions, fines, Joel Embiid

Josh Giddey recorded his second triple-double for the Bulls after playing a key role in a 116-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday in Chicago.

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In what was Giddey’s first game back from an ankle injury, the Australian was involved from the start en route to a team-high 23 points to go with 15 rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and a block.

With it, Giddey became the first Bulls player to record multiple triple-doubles in a single season since Jimmy Butler in 2016-17, and the youngest with multiple since Michael Jordan.

Giddey was especially physical hitting the glass and fighting for rebounds, and while he made his mark on the game with his play as he usually is, it was especially gratifying to see him make an impact on the defensive end as well.

That was especially true down the stretch, as Giddey had two consecutive contests on Khris Middleton, forcing tough shots with the Bucks advancing on one of two attempts.

“Josh’s got length, so it was just trying not to slip with him and trying to get him to shoot over him, that’s what we were hoping for,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said of Giddey’s effort on Middleton.

“He made a couple downfield and he’s tough to deal with because he’s got size and he can get it off, but I thought Josh really competed and battled defensively.”

The execution wasn’t always perfect, but the effort was certainly there from Giddey, who had a clutch, go-ahead 3-pointer in the game’s final minute and then backed it up with another strong defensive possession to help force a turnover that led to a Patrick Williams bucket at the other end.

That shot put Chicago up 111-108 inside the final 50 seconds before a Brook Lopez triple tied the game, but Coby White, who had 22 points in the win, put the Bulls ahead 113-111 before Giddey rushed for another key defensive rebound to help secure the victory.

The Bucks fouled Giddey, who made both free throws to extend the lead to 115-111. Lopez then missed his next 3-point attempt and another Zach LaVine free throw was enough to see Chicago home.

It was especially telling that Giddey played in the final minutes of the game because he had previously not been trusted in clutch situations due to his struggles on defense.

However, Sunday gave Giddey no choice but to play him and the Australian repaid the Bulls coach with a couple of big plays to secure the win.

“I’ve seen growth in that area and I’ve seen competitiveness in that area,” Donovan said of Giddey’s development on the defensive end.

“He’s got size, he’s got length and he’s got good feet. I think the biggest thing is how he can navigate screening actions, and I think he fought through a lot. I thought he struggled with post-ups.

“He’s talented, but he’s got to do it consistently … when you point things out to him, he realizes areas (he needs to improve). He enjoys watching film, he wants to find ways to get better. He’s got been willing to grow in that area and I have seen significant progress.”

Giddey told Chicago Sports Network’s KC Johnson in his postgame interview that it was “good to be in there” late in the fourth quarter, adding that his previously injured ankle felt “good.”

“In this environment, you guys (the crowd) were unbelievable and we feed off that energy. Not just myself, but the rest of the guys that finished that game,” Giddey added.

“I thought we executed really well down the stretch. We were composed, we were ready, and it’s a really good team. It’s an experienced team that has won a championship. They know how to close games.. . it was a much-needed victory.”

It was a huge result for the Bulls, who were coming off a 141-133 loss to the Hawks that saw them cough up 50 points in the fourth quarter. Back-to-back losses of 21 and 25 points to the Bucks and Celtics preceded that result.

ELSEWHERE…

The NBA has suspended Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall for four games and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic for three games for their roles in an on-court brawl.

Dallas forward PJ Washington managed a single game, and all of the suspensions handed down Sunday are without pay.

Nurkic and Marshall collided and were ejected during the Mavericks’ 98-89 win at the Footprint Center.

Things came to a head early in the third quarter when Nurkic was called for an offensive foul that sent the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford to the floor inside the paint.

After a few moments, Nurkic and Marshall clashed, with the former headbutting Marshall before Marshall high-kicked his opponent.

PJ Washington also shoved Nurkic in the middle of all this, causing him to tumble back near midcourt.

The officials then stepped in to prevent the teams from doing further damage.

When all was said and done, all three players were ejected from the contest, and Suns coach Mike Budenholzer was not impressed.

“I think the level of arguments is not good for our team,” he said after the game.

“It’s not good for anybody individually, it’s not good for our league.”

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd saw it differently, saying he was pleased with how his players protected themselves.

“They were protecting each other. That’s what it was,” Kidd said, according to the Dallas Morning News.

“Emotions can run high. For our guys to protect each other, we talk about that and it showed tonight.”

Suns rookie Ryan Dunn told reporters after the game that Nurkic and Marshall talked to each other after the initial foul before things got physical.

“I think it was just the heat of the moment, they chipped back and forth,” Dunn said. “Heat of the moment, we’re here for Nurk.”

Dunn explained why he was in de-escalation mode and not trying to add to the fight.

“I’m a rookie, I don’t have enough money to get a $5,000 fine,” he said with a laugh. “I can’t throw a punch but just try to de-escalate it.”

Portions of this article were originally published on the New York Post and are republished with permission.

EMBIID COPS HUGE FINE

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was fined $120,000 AUD by the NBA on Friday for making “obscene gestures on the court” in the Sixers’ 118-114 win over the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day.

The league said in a statement that the incidents occurred in the first half of the 76ers’ win in Boston, in which Embiid scored 27 points with nine rebounds.

Embiid celebrated a layup in the first half with the “DX crotch chop” gesture, which he adopted from professional wrestling and was previously fined for.

He had another gesture to Boston fans after a three-pointer shortly before halftime.

The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player has appeared in just nine games this season due to injuries — the most recent a sinus fracture that has forced him to play in a protective mask — and a three-game suspension for a physical altercation with a journalist.

Embiid had another injury scare before Wednesday’s game when he fell over the perimeter security rope during warmups and grabbed his right ankle.

He appeared unfazed during the game, but was listed as “questionable” for Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz with the sinus fracture and a sprained left foot.