THE Lakers and the Grizzlies faced each other twice in the space of three days. The first duel, which was hotly contested, turned to Los Angeles’ advantage thanks to well-controlled money-time. An end to the match that Deandre Ayton had followed from the bench, JJ Redick preferring Jaxson Hayes for the last minutes.
Questioned after the meeting, the Lakers coach was extremely direct: Jaxson Hayes had, according to him, simply played better than the former Suns pivot…
But for the third and final meeting of the season between Los Angeles and Memphis, Deandre Ayton was quickly involved. From the start, Luka Doncic serves it inside. A few minutes later, the Slovenian found him again: the number 1 of the 2018 Draft then scored four of the Lakers’ first eight points.
“Big guys can’t create shots on their own”recalls Deandre Ayton. “Above all, I try to bring as much energy as possible and I trust our playmakers to find me. »
Present at the end of the match!
This involvement continued until the end. In the final minutes, Deandre Ayton indeed remained on the field and weighed on both sides. On offense, he grabbed several offensive rebounds and even completed an alley-oop on a pass from Luka Doncic. But it is also in defense that he stands out.
First, he secures a rebound after a missed shot from Jaylen Wells, then throws LeBron James in transition: the “King” converts behind with a 2+1. On the next possession, Ilyton against Jaren Jackson Jr, before doing it again, this time on Cam Spencer, to prevent Memphis from coming back with a minute to go.
“He was good throughout the match”underlines JJ Redick. “I think it was good for him to touch the ball and feel involved offensively. It’s a story as old as time for a grown-up: someone has to give you the ball. You cannot initiate the attack. »
Deandre Ayton finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds, 6/8 shooting, in just over 33 minutes, in the Lakers’ victory (120-114). A performance that contrasts sharply with the previous match against the Grizzlies, where he was content with 4 points and 6 rebounds…
“I’m still looking for Deandre Ayton”insists LeBron James, aware that his teammate needs that. “We’re always looking for a way to get him the ball, and what happened last game was unfortunate. We weren’t able to find it as much as we would have liked, so we made adjustments. »
| Deandre Ayton | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | PHO | 71 | 30:45 | 58.5 | 0.0 | 74.6 | 3.1 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 16.3 |
| 2019-20 | PHO | 38 | 32:32 | 54.6 | 23.1 | 75.3 | 3.9 | 7.6 | 11.5 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 18.2 |
| 2020-21 | PHO | 69 | 30:39 | 62.6 | 20.0 | 76.9 | 3.3 | 7.2 | 10.5 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 14.4 |
| 2021-22 | PHO | 58 | 29:32 | 63.4 | 36.8 | 74.6 | 2.6 | 7.7 | 10.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 17.2 |
| 2022-23 | PHO | 67 | 30:22 | 58.9 | 29.2 | 76.0 | 2.6 | 7.4 | 10.0 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 18.0 |
| 2023-24 | BY | 55 | 32:26 | 57.0 | 10.0 | 82.3 | 3.2 | 7.9 | 11.1 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 16.7 |
| 2024-25 | BY | 40 | 30:09 | 56.6 | 18.8 | 66.7 | 3.1 | 7.1 | 10.2 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 14.4 |
| 2025-26 | LAL | 29 | 29:27 | 70.4 | 59.6 | 2.6 | 5.9 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 14.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
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