Durant's 23.3 percent usage ranked 33rd for players that have played in at least 50 playoff minutes, behind guys like Norman Powell, Jalen Johnson, and Malik Monk. He'll take fadeaway jumpers against smaller defenders that he can simply overwhelm. Although he still has much to learn in this area (the NBA is an ever-changing chess match of set plays and talented finishers), you are beginning to see his play recognition and understanding of switches. Phoenix's defensive matchups are a little more interesting. Booker, Paul, and Durant are all too experienced and too talented to see one style of defense over and over and over. Whether the Suns go deep into the luxury tax for Ayton to keep their core together long-term is one of the bigger storylines of the 2022 offseason. His defensive rebounding percentage is down very slightly, its really not notable. Think of it as a very brief switch. Instinctively Bridges drops to covers Willie which allows Ayton to challenge a Luke middy. When was DeAndre Jordan born? Defensive . The two toughest defensive assignments will go to Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He didnt dunk it! How the Suns lost Game 1, and what that means for the rest of the series, The odds are now well against the Phoenix Suns in this series, though a few tweaks and better effort could make a world of difference, Center of the Sun: The Rubio mentality, next-level Booker, and respect. Will Porter Jr. be used as a secondary defender against Booker and Durant in the pick-and-roll or in the post? This area of Deandres game has been the most noticeable. Deandre Ayton is on Twitter at DeandreAyton. Start your online subscription. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. But that's the best-case scenario. DA with another solid night to stem the Heat in the 4th. Home Current Teams Phoenix Suns Deandre Ayton If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. I'm just the anchor for the defense"Deandre Ayton season-high 22 at Denver after season-low 4 at Utah"Our defense is winning games. Something went wrong. Here's an example of what that looks like from the Timberwolves series. Yes, Gobert gobbles up to board and Crowder makes the foul, but the end result is Rudy on the line rather than a lay-up for Conley. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). Time and again Ayton has displayed the capacity to force smaller guards into shots theyd rather not take. The "short roll" is when a player screens and then receives a pass halfway to the basket. Phoenix needs to clean things up in both of these areas versus Denver. See More at HoopsRumors Deandre Ayton Overview Game Logs Game-by-game stat line for the player 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2022-2023 Game Log Defense isnt sexy. Advantage. This season, Deandre Ayton has helped propel the Suns to one of the best defenses in the league, making Phoenix management wish they'd handed him a max contract over the summer. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. On-Off. The acquisition of Durant meant Ayton's role changed again. There are a lot of buttons to be pushed in order to beat a team as talented as the Phoenix Suns. Deandre Ayton was drafted by Phoenix Suns, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2018 NBA Draft. DeAndre Jordan is 6-11 (211 cm) tall. Whats scary about Durant is hes played just 13 games with Phoenix and the Suns have won 12 of them. Ayton can also play with way too much finesse as a finisher. The NBA doesn't award an annual Comeback Player of the Year trophybut if it did, Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, and Klay Thompson should be considered this year's favorites. Whatever they write about a guy not scoring an X amount, but the pressure that hes putting on the rim and forcing guys to guard him around the basket is creating so many opportunities for Book and Kevin, Williams said. Cauley-Stein begins a delayed roll on the weak side. Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. With just over 5:08 left in the first half, Ayton was shown watching Kevin Durant battle with Nikola Jokic for a rebound instead of coming to his teammate's aid by trying to secure the rebound himself. Durant has two finals MVPs. 8. Start your online subscription. LOS ANGELES Deandre Ayton has been the MVP of the Western Conference Finals. Le pivot a un vritable coup jouer, et il a montr en 2021 qu'il peut parfois sur-performer durant une srie. So, what can Malone do instead? has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. Advantage: Suns. Here is a breakdown of the series and prediction: The Nuggets are the No. Really? The key to Game 1, and perhaps the entire series, is whether Deandre Ayton can guard Jokic one on one. Oops. Heck, DeAndre Jordan could even be worth a look to crash the glass against Phoenix's frail rebounding. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Denver has kicked things into high gear in the postseason and ranks fifth in defensive rating after finishing just 17th during the regular season. Gobert then recovers back to Joki once Conley returns to Murray, thus pulling off the "hedge and recover.". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Game 1 between Denver and Phoenix will tip Saturday at 6:30 p.m. MT and air on TNT. Its ever so subtle on this play, but as Dorian Finney-Smith rolls out of a dribble hand-off, Ayton recognizes it. Many Phoenix Suns fans have been critical of Deandre Ayton's effort and "heart" on the court through the years. That rings twice as true for backup center, Bismack Biyombo. Averaging 14.8 points on 54.2% shooting and 11.3 rebounds in this series, Ayton has posted a double-double in the last three games of this series, all won by the Suns. He has continued to not only show a cerebral increase and understanding of the not-so-sexy side of the ball, he has displayed an affinity for it as well. . He can guard multiple positions due to his lateral quickness and length. As a result of his understanding of the pick and roll, Deandre easily blocks his shot, Booker retrieves the rebound, and the Suns begin a transition possession. It's also a great way to test the decision-making of Deandre Ayton, which is a gamble absolutely worth taking for the Nuggets (more on this in a second). The Clippers used Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie's defenders to double-team Devin Booker and Kevin Durant throughout the first round, especially at the end of games. Other than that, yeah, I guess. There are times when it almost feels like the Suns forget they have Kevin Durant on the team. Having the ability to navigate it successfully from a defensive standpoint is challenging. The team's most recent championship series appearance was in the 2021 NBA Finals when they were defeated by the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks. Lets face it. A block. Odds and lines subject to change. The Suns are currently 5th in offensive rating and 2nd in defensive rating, which are the markings of an elite team. "He was just talking about . The results from there were pretty mixed. He was just talking about his ability is have to be patient so that he knows what theyre doing and he can react and that is a great value for us, Williams said. The 6'11" center was one of five players for the Phoenix franchise to score in double figures including a team-high 23 points from Devin Booker as they handed the Miami Heat, tied for fifth-best team in the East, with their fourth-straight loss. Deandre Ayton. Where was DeAndre Jordan born? Ayton is faced with a decision: collapse on Cauley-Stein or stay home on Doncic. Murray will again be tasked with guarding a veteran point guard, graduating from Mike Conley to Chris Paul. Thats a pretty significant difference from last year in both how often hes defending these shots and his success in keeping them from going on. View Gallery: Photos: Suns vs. Clippers Game 4 playoffs, April 22, 2023, Phoenix Suns fans slam Deandre Ayton after Game 3 vs. Clippers: 'Youre better than this', Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Latest on Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Phoenix is aggressive about pushing the ball up the floor on misses and turnovers, and they have multiple top-tier passers that can connect the dots to find the open man on the break. DeAndre Ayton Trade Value. The Suns team rebounding this season, with tap outs and hustle, has been impressive to watch. Hes averaging a career playoff-high so far this year at 27.2 points a game. by John Wilmes. In-game adjustments is what will separate the two in this series. Im not saying etch the Defensive Player of the Year award with Deandres name on it. Deandre Ayton is not in the Hall of Fame. The end result is a missed three-pointer and a rebound for DA. Phoenix appeared a beat slow on its defensive switches throughout the series against LA. Psst. Advanced Game Log He is continuing to learn, to read what the opposition is doing, and to execute what he sees. Ayton's averaging 16 points on 53 percent from the field to go with 11.8 rebounds in the postseason. More: 'Going to be fun': Deandre Ayton looking forward to matchup with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic Altitude, minutes and Suns bench: Durant and Booker averaged 44 and 43.2 minutes in the Clippers. Aytons athleticism is vital to his ability to defend the transition. Ayton later addressed the notion he lacks a motor, as his critics have come out in high volume on his play in the series. And it may be worth tracking throughout the season as the Suns seek to make a playoff run. 16. Monday, May 1st vs Just turned up a notch.. Ayton has scored a total of 13 points in the second half of the last three games, but hes a plus rating in all four games in the second half so far in the series. Pitching to as close to a perfect game as possible in the short roll could force Denver away from blitzing Booker and Durant at every turn. Below is Phoenix Suns' 2K full team roster. Ayton currently ranks 12th in the NBA in total rebounding with 10.7 per game. Deandre Ayton averages 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He understands his impact on winning and I just think its phenomenal that hes of that mindset and understands that theres going to be games where he scores and theres going to be games where hes doing what he did in the last two games, where hes creating a lot of opportunities with space underneath the basket for other people.. More importantly, they could not stop the LA Clippers in Round 1, who were without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for most of the series. Ayton was initially drafted by the Suns with the #1 overall pick as an old-school post-up big man. . Though Booker will have an immense offensive load, he's probably Phoenix's best option for defending Murray, at least until Josh Okogie enters the game. Thats Dominayton, man, said Ayton, using a hybrid off his last name and "domination. And its getting ugly. Ayton averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season for the Phoenix Suns on. Plus, Ayton hasn't consistently punished mismatches after switches. Averaging 14.8 points on 54.2% shooting and 11.3 rebounds in this series, Ayton has posted a double-double in the last three games of this series, all won by the Suns. Filter or search to find players. Overall, Ayton this season is defending 13.9 shots per game and holding opponents to 48% shooting: 1.1% below where they would expect to be. Phoenix seems unsettled on a bench rotation other than Bismack Biyombo and Okogie, but Denver is rolling Jeff Green, rookie Christian Braun and Brown. Their 21-5 streak, after stumbling to an 8-8 start, is the best record in the league since late January. Try to play hard.. What? And while some fans will (and arguably should) continue to ask more domination from Dominayton, Im more interested in his defense at the moment. Defense isnt as easy to quantify as offense, unfortunately. You get a feel for the newness of the Suns in the halfcourt. But Jokic, whom he was responsible for guarding for a lot of the night, had 24 points and 19 rebounds in the game. StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. newsletter. There is an expectation that the 2018 #1 overall draft pick should be creating plays worthy of being printed on posters. We wrote about those small-ball, switch-heavy lineups in the week leading up to the playoffs. Ayton uses his size and strength to box out Rudy, and even though Deandre isnt the one who is credited for the rebound, the team obtains possession. Deandres commitment to being an anchor on defense has been a primary contributing factor to the Suns success early on this year. Just being a force, Booker said. Ayton isnt there yet, but he is showing that the game is slowing down for him. Phoenix, on the other hand, has ranked just 11th in rebounding in the playoffs. Malone will be in the driver's seat for all of them. More: He can also erase the effectiveness of Malone's small-ball lineups by unleashing brute physicality against mismatches. But Malone's job goes beyond just dictating defensive coverages. Deandre stands with arms raised, covering the width of a Dodge Ram 1500. Players eligible for leaderboards are those who have played in at least 70 percent of their teams games and average at least 24 minutes per game (including stats from the regular season and playoffs). What is exciting is his growth. The moment did not go over well on social media, where many used the video of the play to slam Ayton's effort, a recurring theme on social media. Its important to communicate., Ayton even joked that his two-year old son of the same name gave him an earful about it, but he has responded in averaging 12.3 boards in the last three games of the series. Status: Restricted free agent.Position: Center.Last team: Phoenix Suns.2021-22 stats: 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds. Toutefois, Jokic a semble-t-il trouv comment grer ce match-up , en atteste son match susmentionn : 41pts, 15rbds, 15asts. Suns-Nuggets preview, Pt. But it is absolutely paramount to the success of a teams interior and perimeter defense. Reach Jeremy Cluffatjeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Zion is looking to barrel towards the basket and slam home one of those Twitter highlights as he uses an Adams pick at the top of the key. Make those guys beat you and lean into interchangeability at all five positions when Joki sits. Ayton has not looked comfortable within that setting in the postseason. You get to push guys around and you get to jump over people. Arizona has forced only 11.8 turnovers per game, and that includes three games against overmatched . Do you have a sports website? Phoenix Suns begin their Western Conference semifinals series Saturday at Denver in an 1-4 matchup. Shooting More: Suns-Nuggets: Nikola Jokic needs NBA title to take spot alongside MVPs like LeBron, Jordan. And Durant is one of the best scorers to ever play the sport and only needs a sliver of daylight to get shots off; adding a screen to the mix only heightens his advantages as a scorer. Interpreted as: Deandre Ayton defense rating this regular season StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. Denver must force someone else to beat them other than Durant or Booker. Here is what I have found. Hes averaging 37.2 points in the postseason and coming off a 47-point cooking of the Clippers in Game 5 closeout that tied a career playoff high. Or write about sports? Due to the constant uploading of spectacular slams, awesome oops, and thundering threes, fans have been conditioned to expect those highlights from their favorite players. Right, Born: It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but increasing the number of sets explicitly tailored to Durant's skillset only behooves Phoenix. Booker is quick and strong, but he'll need to be at the top of his defensive game to keep pace with Denver's electric point guard. pic.twitter.com/cyGL05LP9h. A daily roundup of Phoenix Suns news from Bright Side of the Sun, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Monty and the Suns need to realize that Shamet aint it. The Suns are still among the best defensive teams in the NBA, but statistics seem to show that Ayton hasnt been the force he was last season. The team may be undersized at times but they still are tenacious on the glass. He has a total of 15 Badges. Willie stays high on this play, creating an iso-situation between Ayton and Luka. Gambling Problem? Blocked. Following the Phoenix Suns' shocking postseason exit, all eyes are now on Deandre Ayton's free agency. 4/30 Suns center Deandre Ayton is confident that Phoenix will rebound after its 125-107 blowout loss to the higher-seeded Nuggets in Game 1 of their second-round matchup, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Home The Nuggets will mix up their defenses, but if Booker remains hot, theyll have to make firmer decisions. All rights reserved. Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul fill out the rest of their "Big Four." Ayton averages 16 PPG and leads the team in rebounds at 11 per game in the postseason, while Paul averages 14 PPG and leads the Suns in the postseason at assists at 8 per game. Can Denver get away with MPJ cheating off Craig and Okogie in the corners to clog up the painted area? I think he just hears it from a little bit of everybody, Booker said. Please enter a valid email and try again. I love the playoffs, but the contact is a little bit different. Historically, Joki has had a pretty easy time scoring against Ayton and has made 49.4 percent of his shots with Ayton as the closest defender in his career. Gambling Problem? When we get punched in the mouth, what do we do? Its not all glitz and glamour, defensive dominance and swatted leather. They started off in the drop. We hear from him, too. Remember that highlight on ESPN that night? This doesnt put Ayton in terrible company. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). The Portland Trail Blazers aren't serious contenders for Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton but may be eyeing Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort in a draft-pick trade. Read our expert rankings on the best sports betting sites here. By circumstance, this allows the screener to run free and make decisions in the open floor. He thought wrong. 5 DFGA). I believe the stat is pick and rolls defended by Mikal and Ayton yielded just .71 PPP so far this season. inNassau,Bahamas Its opening everything else for everybody else.. Which is really really good. How much does DeAndre Jordan weigh? He appeared to be tentative in early contests against the Mavericks and Kings, but by the time the Suns played the Nuggets, Deandre was using his size and physicality to move the opposition off of their spots. Like every player in the Association, there are plays in which Aytons rotations are passive, where his hustle is muted, and he is unwilling to leave his man.
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