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. More: Suns-Nuggets: Nikola Jokic needs NBA title to take spot alongside MVPs like LeBron, Jordan. The Phoenix Suns have been one of the best stories of the 2020-21 season and the evolution of center Deandre Ayton has been a huge part of that. Maybe he loves basketball so much he cant help to just watch pic.twitter.com/71Oi4Mr3qj, Three Level Scorer (@3LevelScorer) April 30, 2023. The league average for offensive-rebounds-per game is currently 9.8. . However, the Nuggets dont have anyone to slow down Kevin Durant or Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton has held his own against Jokic over the years. Boston's Kyrie Irving was regarded as a slightly above-average defender by RPM last year, for instance. Nope, I run on Tesla battery. In his ball-screen coverage, he can do a lot of different things because he moves so well, and we're trying to exploit that," Suns veteran Jae Crowder said postgame. Durant's usage rate was reflective of that. Again, a different game. And its getting ugly. This area of Deandres game has been the most noticeable. Allowing the opposition to have extra possessions isnt just frustrating, its darn near irresponsible. Hes been able to do that. They stress defense and scoring in transition. 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. DominAyton, Tiger, Dominator are nicknames for Deandre Ayton. Teams are looking to rebound any missed field goal, get the ball out, and run. Suns' Deandre Ayton: 'I'm just putting my head down and working' He could be frustrated, but he wasnt. Support local journalism. The "short roll" is when a player screens and then receives a pass halfway to the basket. Any center worth his weight in Chipotle burritos should have the ability to box out on the defensive end. We hear everybody out on this team. Following the Phoenix Suns' shocking postseason exit, all eyes are now on Deandre Ayton's free agency. Twice in the first half, Phoenix set screens at the elbow for Durant to curl off and dribble into midrange jumpers. And it may be worth tracking throughout the season as the Suns seek to make a playoff run. There are a lot of NBA fans that have probably recently heard about Deandre Ayton's improvement on defense. Deandre's commitment to being an anchor on defense has been a primary contributing factor to the Suns' success early on this year. Already a member? Void in ONT. Initially he is beat by Conley as he opts to go left. Ayton has not looked comfortable within that setting in the postseason. There is an expectation that the 2018 #1 overall draft pick should be creating plays worthy of being printed on posters. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Even. It may be worth noting that Ayton defends far fewer such shots than some other centers (seven players in the league are defending eight or more such shots per game), but that goes less to Aytons performance and more the Suns defensive tactics. And if you think Zubac appears comfortable posting up against smaller Suns defenders, boy, wait until you see how Nikola Joki looks in that setting. Has Deandre Ayton's defense regressed? - Bright Side Of The Sun The second round of the 2023 postseason starts off with a bang when the #1 seed Denver Nuggets go head-to-head with the #4 seed Phoenix Suns in a series that's stuffed to the brim with star talent. In the team's win in Miami, a statement victory that helped the Suns get back on track, he contributed across the board with 17 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. pic.twitter.com/bVuHPGrlo3. In short, there's very little to glean from the season series. Deandre Ayton NBA 2K23 Rating (Current Phoenix Suns) - 2KRatings.com 5 players Indiana Pacers should consider in free agency: Is Deandre If it reaches a Game 7 in Denver, Phoenix will be in trouble, but it wont. Toutefois, Jokic a semble-t-il trouv comment grer ce match-up , en atteste son match susmentionn : 41pts, 15rbds, 15asts. Suns vs. Nuggets odds. 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. Blitzing is a great way to get the ball out of Booker and Durant's hands when they run pick-and-roll. Denver and Phoenix each boast high-powered offenses with Hall of Fame hubs commandeering things, so there's a good chance this series becomes a bit of a shootout. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. 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. Thats probably why Gobert is still considered a premier defensive player in the league, despite many fans dismissing him as borderline unplayable against smaller, quicker, trigger-happy lineups. Le pivot a un vritable coup jouer, et il a montr en 2021 qu'il peut parfois sur-performer durant une srie. Denver's defensive alignments should look oddly similar to how they matched up with Minnesota in the first round. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 111.0 this season. Murray then scored 31 on the Suns in 2020-21 season. Deandre Edoneille Ayton "I really don't care about offense. Landry Shamet continues to be the first guy off the bench for the Suns. It's an odd. From there, it's on that player to either continue dribbling toward the rim, take a midrange jumper, or make a pass to an open teammate. The more he focuses on excelling, the better he will be. July 23, The 6'11" center stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Hes only going to get better. My name is Dominayton. I anchor the Phoenix Suns on both ends the floor. All rights reserved. "It gives those guys spaces like KD (Kevin Durant), Chris (Paul) and Book (Devin Booker), they do the rest. Ranking The Top 10 Best Candidates For The 2021-22 Defensive Player Of It is no easy task keeping him from the basketball. There are times when Ayton struggles within his new rolea role that's narrow but requires him to excel at the finer details of the game. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. We all have the same objective and thats to win the game. Cauley-Stein begins a delayed roll on the weak side. DeAndre Ayton Trade Value | Should I Trade DeAndre Ayton - FantasySP 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. Here is a breakdown of the series and prediction: The Nuggets are the No. The more you watch Deandre, the more you notice him calling out plays from the rear. He has Chris Paul, a career 37.5 percent three-pointer shooter, open at the left wing but instead hoists a midrange shot that misses. Heck, DeAndre Jordan could even be worth a look to crash the glass against Phoenix's frail rebounding. 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. 16.3 shots per game, 44%, 4.1% below shooter averages. You get a feel for the newness of the Suns in the halfcourt. The key to Game 1, and perhaps the entire series, is whether Deandre Ayton can guard Jokic one on one. How much does DeAndre Jordan weigh? https://t.co/9DCUJpkfTJ. When he reaches his hands into the air to create a wall, it is a dauntingly visible deterrent. This doesnt put Ayton in terrible company. Josh Okogie has become Phoenixs sixth man in the postseason, but hes not enough. Yet. The result? Ayton Defense Rating | StatMuse #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/yi4627io3C, Sweet Lettuce (@Sw33tL3ttuc3) April 30, 2023, DeAndre Ayton gives up on basketball pic.twitter.com/CpR4mzr3cC, Trade Deandre ayton this offseason, im done defending him pic.twitter.com/vQcP0gTbbX, Deandre Ayton keeps this up and Suns gettng swept, horrible effort. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. It paid off handsomely. But it may be evidence Ayton is peaking, which if true is something worth thinking about. Some other big men known for great defense, like Gobert and Joel Embiid, are also appearing to have less impressive performances on that end so far this season. Playing in the Denver altitude is always an issue for visiting teams. With Ayton securing the. In other words, they'll need Ayton to play like a . . At best, he's Phoenix's fourth option now, a major change from being the face of the franchise when he was first drafted. Deandre Ayton Nikola JokiKevin Durant Aaron GordonTorrey Craig Michael Porter Jr. Chris Paul Kentavious Caldwell-PopeDevin Booker Jamal Murray. His frame and high release point on his shot make him unguardable, and he's crafted a snazzy dribbling package over the years to get to his favorite spots on the court at will. Your weekly roundup of Phoenix Suns news, rumors, notes and videos from the prior week plus a preview of the week to come. The Nuggets use Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as screeners regularly, and if Phoenix struggles to switch between its guards, those two will gleefully rain down three-pointers. DeAndre Jordan was born on July 21, 1988. 1 seed in the West for the first time ever. The Suns will need more than a Tesla motor to stop the two-time MVP. More NBA:Player projectionsOur 2022-23 NBA predictionsBuild your own team. Follow him on Twitter@Jeremy_Cluff. Phoenix seems unsettled on a bench rotation other than Bismack Biyombo and Okogie, but Denver is rolling Jeff Green, rookie Christian Braun and Brown. I'm so tired. As such, there are moments when the Suns appear out of sync. Statistical model by Nate Silver. If you crash and dont snag the rebound, the opposition is off to the races and youre left behind watching the highlights. An increase in rangy athleticism could be on the menu for Denver to throw at Durant and Booker. Phoenix's defensive matchups are a little more interesting. It stresses the defense and tires their legs. The relationship between Ayton and the Suns has reportedly soured . Ayton has posted a double-double in back-to-back contests, and the Suns have claimed a 2-1 lead over the Clippers after dropping Game 1. LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Suns vs Rockets . Latest on Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN How To Watch NBA Playoffs First-Round: Suns at Clippers Game 3 The physicality turned up a little bit more. Advanced Game Log Malone will be in the driver's seat for all of them. Ayton finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in the game. Phoenix, on the other hand, has ranked just 11th in rebounding in the playoffs. He was Joki's primary defender the last time these two teams met up in the 2021 postseason. More: Figures displayed are rounded to the nearest tenth, but placement along the line is based on unrounded RAPTOR or WAR values. The Phoenix Suns Can Build An Unbeatable Team This Summer: Russell Design and development by Ryan Best, Jay Boice and Ella Koeze. He has a long way to go. Defensively, Ayton is not a big-time shot blocker, at least according to stats, but he still helps anchor one of the game's best defenses. All statistics courtesy of NBA Stats or Cleaning the Glass unless stated otherwise. They improve to 29-13 for the season, good for second-best in the Western Conference. Reach Jeremy Cluffatjeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns (RFA) The Suns had a chance to sign Ayton to a rookie-scale extension before this season began, but the two sides couldn't agree on terms. Phoenix Suns NBA 2K23 Roster | 2K Ratings The third-year center continues to develop into an interior force. Mistakes happen (and some players are very hard to categorize)! The Suns got zilch from their bench when the game was a game, didn't match Denver's physicality and . Whats scary about Durant is hes played just 13 games with Phoenix and the Suns have won 12 of them. 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. 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. The Seven Seconds of Less era truly revolutionized the way way the game is played. bs, High School: Pace: Suns 99.50 (Tied-9th), Nuggets 94.82 (Tied-11th). Actions that involved switching between two guards or wings were particularly problematic for Phoenix. Needlessly standing there, hands at his sides, completely uninvolved in the offense. Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton. The Suns entered Fridays playoff games last in bench points per game at 14.4 points. The 351st-ranked defense last season, North Carolina A&T, allowed 1.23 points per possession. When asked about people questioning his motor, Ayton was initially incredulous. Everything runs through reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, but Denver having a healthy Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. gives it beyond a fighting chance against Phoenix. The Nuggets might need additional ball handling. Deandre Ayton DFG% by season:2018-19: 64.9% 2019-20: 53.6% 2020-21: 51.3%Ayton is currently 13th in the NBA in DFG% (min. How and when Malone alternates his defensive coverages could greatly dictate the flow of games. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). Devin Booker's defense could clash with Jamal Murray in Suns-Nuggets And then finally, Michael Porter Jr. will be somewhat of a free safety for Denver. following a play where Ayton didn't get back on transition defense. Advantage. Start your online subscription. Below, the Clippers ran a double pick-and-roll for Russell Westbrook, and Durant switched onto Ivica Zubac even with Zubac's man, Bismack Biyombo, standing right there. The acquisition of Durant meant Ayton's role changed again. Suns vs. Nuggets odds, prediction: Our best bet for Game 1 Saturday in Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets dunks past the defense of Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix . But last years team won an awful lot, so this is not isolatable to Ayton. For a player with such elite physical gifts, his shot blocking ability is curiously average is what his NBADraft.net player profile said coming out of college. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. Will that lead to Suns coach Monty Williams playing Durant and Booker less? . Explore Who was drafted #1 overall in 2020? Oops. has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. The views on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the NBA or its clubs. 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. Odds and lines subject to change. Despite Suns' recent struggles, Deandre Ayton's stock keeps rising Ayton holds his ground however, not falling for the sudden change of direction, and follows him down the lane. 5. Someone like Reggie Jackson comes to mind. The news comes from . Have no fear, Mikal, as DA is there. A season ago, the trio of Western Conference stars combined for a total of 61 games due to injuries. 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. NBA player rankings: Top 100 NBA players as of 2023 playoffs - Page 6. But there are some metrics we can look to as guidessome fairly objective and others a bit more subjective, but frequently accepted as evidence in association with other data. Center Deandre Ayton | Phoenix Suns | NBA.com