Josh Giddey, Australia Dominate First Exhibition Game

OKC Thunder guard Josh Giddey dominated alongside Australia in a 97-41 win over Venezuela.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey played with Australia's national for the first exhibition game open to the public eye. The Boomers dominated Venezuela in a 97-41 win.

For Giddey, this was his first real test driving the ship for his team, and he did not disappoint. He played 24 minutes, racking up 14 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and one block. 

The biggest part of Giddey's offense? He played efficiently, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and was a +29 in the box score. 

The competition wasn't the best the team is going to see over the course of the tournament, but it was plenty enough for Giddey to get his feet wet. He dominated out of the gate and it continued throughout the game. 

Duop Reath goes on to show Giddey's impact while being in the driver's seat. The 6-foot-11 had a big man behind the Thunder guard's big game. Reath scored 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting.

Of course, the squad wasn't at full strength, with both Jock Landale and Josh Green missing.

By the time the World Cup play officially starts, both of those players should be back on the court. Landale will further open things on the court for Giddey, and the two will complement each other nicely as the competition ramps up.

Earlier in the offseason, Australia head coach Brian Goorjian said the team would have to play through Giddey, and that seems to be paying off. The offense was fast pace and that can be attributed to the guard's ability to play make at a high level. 

Another Thunder player got good burn with the team, as Jack White played 16 minutes, scoring four points on 2-of-5 shooting. The 6-foot-7 forward pulled down eight rebounds for the team, too. 

The Boomers will be an exciting team to watch as their combination of a fast-paced offense and stifling defense is fun to watch, and now that Giddey is driving the ship, Thunder fans have that much more of a reason to tune in.

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