The season started off with a lot of frustration, but that seems to have cooled a bit of late as the big man has gone for 20 more more points four times in the past two weeks, and collected 10 or more rebounds the same number of times. 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 third-year center continues to develop into an interior force. It's an odd. Oops. The news comes from . Not bad, to be clear, but it feels like there's another level for him on this iteration of the Phoenix Suns. As the season has progressed, Aytons confidence in his defense has strengthened. He was one of five Suns players to score in double figures including a team-high 23 points from. The oldest play in the book. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Despite finishing the series against LA with averages of 28.4 points on 51.8 percent shooting and 45.8 percent from three, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, Durant's offensive utilization felt a tad bit odd. He'll stop short to take midrange shots instead of powering through to the rim with a couple of extra dribbles. His defensive rating (a fairly complicated calculation designed to provide an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions, so lower is better) is 109 this season, which is up from 105 last season. Deandre Ayton is on Instagram at deandreayton. Support local journalism: Subscribe toazcentral.comtoday. Ayton didnt sound so certain about that after the team's Game 4 victory Saturday in Los Angeles to give Phoenix a 3-1 series lead over the Clippers. But due to his length, Ayton easily recovers and deters his shot. It is due to this desire for highlight-worthy content that I feel Deandre Ayton gets a bad rap from the casual Suns fan (and sometimes the not-so-casual fan as well). This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns' Deandre Ayton blasted for lack of effort in Game 1 vs. Nuggets, Phoenix Suns fans slam Monty Williams for playing, Suns' Deandre Ayton blasted for lack of effort in Game 1 vs. Nuggets. Yeah, me neither. Bridges takes a chance on this play and is beat by Mike Conley (granted, he was preparing for a high pick and roll with Rudy Gobert, so he set himself to defend in that manner). But last years team won an awful lot, so this is not isolatable to Ayton. Lineups Hard call. The results from there were pretty mixed. They're also 5th in points allowed at 105 PPG and 6th in defensive rating at 109.6. Too much just standing around and watching from Ayton. newsletter. NBA player rankings: Top 100 NBA players as of 2023 playoffs - Page 6. Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, Draft: Here's a legitimate 7-footer with all the athleticism, talent and durability any franchise would want out of a No. 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. Ayton is faced with a decision: collapse on Cauley-Stein or stay home on Doncic. Odds and lines subject to change. Durant was one of the best pick-and-roll ball handlers this season in Brooklyn, and he's a historically great post-up player. "It gives those guys spaces like KD (Kevin Durant), Chris (Paul) and Book (Devin Booker), they do the rest. The Suns will need more than a Tesla motor to stop the two-time MVP. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Just give them the space and they got it. Time and again Ayton has displayed the capacity to force smaller guards into shots theyd rather not take. 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. Nikola Joki Deandre Ayton Aaron Gordon . newsletter. Center of the Sun: The Rubio mentality, next-level Booker, and respect. Nikola Joki Deandre AytonAaron Gordon Kevin DurantMichael Porter Jr. Torrey CraigKentavious Caldwell-Pope Devin BookerJamal Murray Chris Paul. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. "In an ideal world, I actually want even more," Suns head coach Monty Williams said postgame on Ayton. Deandre Ayton's role has fluctuated a ton in Phoenix. 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. Jimmy Butler Jimmy Butler's 2021-2022 defensive statistics are similar to Draymond Green's; they aren't great. Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. 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. Mikal can be great and take risks due to the presence of Ayton. On the other hand,. He consistently holds opponents to well below their normal field goal percentage (he's one of the best big men in the league by this measure). Phoenix needs to clean things up in both of these areas versus Denver. How much does DeAndre Jordan weigh? pic.twitter.com/bVuHPGrlo3. This would leave Ayton completely open once he rolled to the rim. He can also erase the effectiveness of Malone's small-ball lineups by unleashing brute physicality against mismatches. Sometimes, he'll just outright miss the open shooter. The Suns have absolutely destroyed drop coverage in the postseason, which is a style of pick-and-roll defense in which the big man hangs back close to the rim instead of near the screen. But it may be evidence Ayton is peaking, which if true is something worth thinking about. Twitter: Murray will again be tasked with guarding a veteran point guard, graduating from Mike Conley to Chris Paul. He doesn't get many blocks, but that's because he doesn't go for blocks. Will that lead to Suns coach Monty Williams playing Durant and Booker less? pic.twitter.com/x17aJC3fOI, HTB (@HenryTheBlasian) April 30, 2023, All out effort from Ayton in this play. Defensively Im where I need to be at, Ayton stated last week. If you have your Bleacher Report notifications set to on, you will receive numerous micro-updates of the plays that awe and amaze nightly. His defensive IQ continues to grow and with it comes the intelligence on how to effectively stop the fast break. I believe the stat is pick and rolls defended by Mikal and Ayton yielded just .71 PPP so far this season. At 6'11" with a 7'5" reach, Durant is an excellent secondary shot blocker with a condor-like wingspan. And its getting ugly. Utilizing Joki as the drop defender is just asking for a thunderstorm of midrange buckets. Needlessly standing there, hands at his sides, completely uninvolved in the offense. 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. He also appears to be lagging last years pace on defensive win shares, which purport to estimate player impact contributed due to defense. Splits The Suns, meanwhile, bolstered their roster tremendously at the trade deadline by adding two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant via a blockbuster deal. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). The acquisition of Durant meant Ayton's role changed again. Monte Morris thought that isolating himself against the third-year center from the University of Arizona was a good idea. The Phoenix Suns dropped from best odds to win the West to 3rd best, despite still being 2nd best to win the whole league. Defensive . Explore Who had the most wins as a favorite last season? Their 21-5 streak, after stumbling to an 8-8 start, is the best record in the league since late January. DA with another solid night to stem the Heat in the 4th. Trade value on the open market is 20.83 which ranks him 15th among center's and 57th overall. After defending Anthony Edwards in Round 1, KCP will get another crack at an explosive scorer at the shooting guard position. 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. Clutch win%: Suns 66.7% (2-1, 6th), Nuggets 75% (3-1, 5th). Their defensive rating has gone from 29th to 17th to sixth. If it reaches a Game 7 in Denver, Phoenix will be in trouble, but it wont. Ibaka led the NBA in blocks per game in the 2012 and 2013 seasons with 3.7 BPG and 3.0 BPG and made the All-Defensive First Teams between 2012 and 2014 as well. Cauley-Stein begins a delayed roll on the weak side. It's been a popular tactic for Denver's opponents to ignore Gordon at the three-point line, and Gordon gives Durant the perfect opportunity to cheat off his man and sky for blocks when Denver tries to get to the rim. Hes averaging a career playoff-high so far this year at 27.2 points a game. Shooting Really? He's a fantastic spot-up option, as well, but there are more ways to utilize Durant within an offense. Doing anything to get a rebound and thats the type of player I am. This doesnt put Ayton in terrible company. The anchor of the defense mirrors the responsibilities of a middle linebacker: call out what you see and direct your resources towards your teams weaknesses. Yet time and again, although he has proven to be an efficient scorer (currently 58% FG%), his finesse approach to his offensive game does not satisfy the masses. Other than that, yeah, I guess. Phoenix seems unsettled on a bench rotation other than Bismack Biyombo and Okogie, but Denver is rolling Jeff Green, rookie Christian Braun and Brown. 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). He was Joki's primary defender the last time these two teams met up in the 2021 postseason. 16. Denver finished with the fifth-best offense during the regular season and led the NBA in field goal percentage. Me rolling to the basket, I know that brings so much attention to the rim and so many guys load up on me when Im rolling to the basket or anywhere around the basket,'' he said. Willie stays high on this play, creating an iso-situation between Ayton and Luka. Im not saying etch the Defensive Player of the Year award with Deandres name on it. . A season ago, the trio of Western Conference stars combined for a total of 61 games due to injuries. He is shooting at a ridiculous 70.6% FG and has a True Shooting percentage of 70.3, the most in NBA history. Nope, I run on Tesla battery. Personal fouls: Suns 21.2 (10th), Nuggets 23.0 (15th). The Tremendous Jimmy Butler. 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. Your weekly roundup of Phoenix Suns news, rumors, notes and videos from the prior week plus a preview of the week to come. And then finally, Michael Porter Jr. will be somewhat of a free safety for Denver. Chris Paul is a feisty defender but is likely too small to tangle with Murray. Here is a breakdown of the series and prediction: The Nuggets are the No. DeAndre Jordan is 6-11 (211 cm) tall. 1 overall pick, who . Ayton has had to adjust in this series to facing Zubac and backup Clippers big Mason Plumlee one minute and working against Ty Lues small lineup the next. Deandre stands with arms raised, covering the width of a Dodge Ram 1500. So, what can Malone do instead? How tall is DeAndre Jordan? The pick and roll. Think of it as a very brief switch. Denver and Phoenix are looked at by most as the two favorites to make the NBA Finals from the Western Conference. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Phoenix, meanwhile, has taken things up another level in the playoffs with Durant in the fold. https://t.co/9DCUJpkfTJ. Ayton isnt there yet, but he is showing that the game is slowing down for him. The Suns are currently 5th in offensive rating and 2nd in defensive rating, which are the markings of an elite team. You know, role players. The 24-year-old scoffed at the notion . 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Eligibility restrictions apply. We hear from him, too. Its only 7 games into the new season. Denver must force someone else to beat them other than Durant or Booker. Averaging 16/10 in his 4 year caeer. Heck, DeAndre Jordan could even be worth a look to crash the glass against Phoenix's frail rebounding. Boston's Kyrie Irving was regarded as a slightly above-average defender by RPM last year, for instance. Just being patient, playing circle ball.. The Suns and Nuggets faced off four times in the regular season, splitting the series 2-2. The national motto for the Bahamas is "Forward Upward Onward Together," which is defined as moving in "the direction and manner in which the Bahamian nation should move.". Something went wrong. Phoenix's defensive matchups are a little more interesting. Playing in the Denver altitude is always an issue for visiting teams. Status: Restricted free agent.Position: Center.Last team: Phoenix Suns.2021-22 stats: 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds. 16.3 shots per game, 44%, 4.1% below shooter averages. Jokic is the better overall player, he stuffs the stat sheet, but Ayton has shown the ability to stay in front of him in the post and score against the reigning two-time MVP. for No. Will Porter Jr. be used as a secondary defender against Booker and Durant in the pick-and-roll or in the post? He'll take fadeaway jumpers against smaller defenders that he can simply overwhelm. However, the story of the postseason for Phoenix has been Devin Booker, who averaged 37.2 points on 60.2 percent shooting and 46.7 percent from three to go with 6.4 assists in the first round. Ayton currently ranks 12th in the NBA in total rebounding with 10.7 per game. To have a center who loves to play defense and is excited to learn how to better that skillset isnt something youll find on many Twitter highlights or postgame shows. C Deandre Ayton, 6-11 center: 18.0 points, 12.0 rebounds PROJECTED CLIPPERS STARTERS: G Russell Westbrook, 6-3 guard: 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.6 assists G Eric Gordon, 6-3 guard: 11.0. Advanced Game Log The goal for the offense is to enough create space and miscommunication to generate an easy basket. They change it up on me, so I change it up on them, Ayton said after Game 4, about working out of the short roll. It's abundantly clear to anyone who has seen Deandre Ayton perform that he is a high-level NBA prospect. More than likely, the Nuggets will mix and match coverages to throw Phoenix off the scent. Ayton has become a lightning rod for discussion for Suns fans. Its effective. All #1 picks who have 0x all star: Deandre Ayton, Markelle Fultz, Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden, Andrea Bargnani, Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Joe Smith (until 1990 , btw didnt include Ant and Cade for obvious reasons) Oops. People climbing up on your shoulders like youre a ladder. There are a lot of NBA fans that have probably recently heard about Deandre Ayton's improvement on defense. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. In this style of pick-and-roll defense, the big man just outright double-teams the ball-handler. 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. Collectively the Suns are defined appropriately as pesky. 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. It'll be interesting to see if Denver adopts a similar strategy. Whether Ayton likes it or not, the Suns need his motor to be running hotter from here on out. Spread: Suns +2.5 . You have to be physical but not too physical, finesse but not exploitable. DeAndre Jordan is 34 years old. Here is what I have found. Actions that involved switching between two guards or wings were particularly problematic for Phoenix. Nuggets coach Michael Malone and Williams established a culture that has been the foundation for the success of their teams. How and when Malone alternates his defensive coverages could greatly dictate the flow of games. Who cares if he is averaging 16.8 points and 10.7 rebounds in only 116 career games? 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. Developed WARP rating and . How often do we see this play in the NBA? Thats about it. Check out this Caesars Sportsbook promo code for April 2023 here. Ideally. Jae Crowder on what they've been emphasizing to Deandre Ayton and the potential the Suns have with him defensively: pic.twitter.com/9PbasSyJEY. But Michael Malone has the opportunity to completely swing the series in Denver's favor. 116 career games means technically he is in year 2 of development No matter which side of the Deandre Ayton Draft Debate you fall on, respect must be garnered for the efforts he has put forth on the defensive end thus far this year. They have split their 14 matchups with Ayton winning four of his seven in that 2021 postseason sweep. Deandre Ayton is not in the Hall of Fame. Join our linker program. DEN But lets look at Ayton last season. 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. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson certainly fit the billing there. The Suns are leaving too much food on the table by having Durant space the floor as much as he has. Data Provided By The more you watch Deandre, the more you notice him calling out plays from the rear. You have to possess the ability to make quick decisions in transition. Hes only going to get better. Durant's usage rate was reflective of that. The Suns are succeeding despite Ayton, not because of him The reason for those high ratings is that the Suns starting five lineup has been decimating teams. 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. Durant has two finals MVPs. Deandre Ayton was drafted by Phoenix Suns, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2018 NBA Draft. He scored 46 versus the Suns in the 2018-19 season and averaged 28.3 in four games against them in 2019-20 season. When we get punched in the mouth, what do we do? His passes from the short roll have been woefully inaccurate, either sailing into the crowd or landing at his teammate's feet. Room for growth exists, however, as his adjusted box out rate is in the 61st percentile. Players often gain reputations as good or bad defenders based mainly on reputation around the league or the always-reliable eye test.. 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. His ability to face-up and splash shots from the midrange almost immediately made him the go-to option in Phoenix. He thought he could back him out of the paint, use his quickness, and accelerate past the big man. Advantage: Suns. Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton. That's not a ton of dress rehearsal for the revamped Suns, who now head into battle against a Denver team with years of continuity. Late in the season, Denver busted out a small-ball lineup against the Golden State Warriors that eventually led to one of the most exciting victories of the season. Its ever so subtle on this play, but as Dorian Finney-Smith rolls out of a dribble hand-off, Ayton recognizes it. Durant, Booker and Paul each scored 17 points in the second half of Saturdays Game 4 win, but Aytons plus-13 was the highest plus/minus of any starter in the second half of Game 4. Center A play during the Suns' 125-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 didn't help his cause in quieting his critics. At other points, Phoenix's switching defense would present them with disadvantageous matchups. It will be on Malone to push the right buttons. Its opening everything else for everybody else.. Last season? Ayton is having another excellent season, arguably the best of his career. The more he focuses on excelling, the better he will be. 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. Void in ONT. 6. How many career 30+ point games does Deandre Ayton have? Like a cornerback covering a receiver, the goal is to keep your hips square. In short, there's very little to glean from the season series. Those highlights are discussed around the proverbial water cooler, not the next day at work, but as they are happening. The fact that Ayton isn't some "nobody" rotational Center but instead a former #1 pick who stands 7'1 250 and averages a double double for his career is going to bring a ton of scrutiny and slander HIS WAY. Statistical model by Nate Silver. Defense isnt sexy. He recently said that he anchors Phoenix on both offense and defense. 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. NBA Power Rankings: Here's where every team stands heading in to . The Nuggets will mix up their defenses, but if Booker remains hot, theyll have to make firmer decisions. Deandre Ayton is on Twitter at DeandreAyton. Maybe. When he reaches his hands into the air to create a wall, it is a dauntingly visible deterrent. Landry Shamet continues to be the first guy off the bench for the Suns. But Im of the mind that effectively guarding shots close to the rim is probably the most valuable defensive contribution any NBA center can provide, even if they are capable of playing a larger role too. He was the #1 pick in the 2018 draft. Denver has kicked things into high gear in the postseason and ranks fifth in defensive rating after finishing just 17th during the regular season. Our ratings, updated daily, use play-by-play and player-tracking data to calculate each player's individual plus-minus measurements and wins above replacement, which accounts for playing time. A consensus five-star prospect in the Class of 2017 and a McDonald's All-American, he played one season of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. He went 7-for-11 from the field. Jokic vs. Ayton. In other words, they'll need Ayton to play like a . best record in the league since late January. 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. The responsibility of a center no longer is to crash the offensive boards. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Have no fear, Mikal, as DA is there. LOS ANGELES Deandre Ayton has been the MVP of the Western Conference Finals. Plus, Ayton hasn't consistently punished mismatches after switches. Then in the fourth quarter, Ayton set a pindown screen (which is an off-ball screen where the screener faces the baseline) for Durant, who caught the pass and rose up at the free-throw line for the bucket. Scripting more of-ball sets for Durant, increasing his post-ups, and allowing him to run the pick-and-roll with greater frequency could be a major deciding factor in the second-round series. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 110.9 this season. 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. To Craig's credit, he made LA pay for the strategy by shooting 55.6 percent from deep in the series. The two toughest defensive assignments will go to Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon. Instinctively Bridges drops to covers Willie which allows Ayton to challenge a Luke middy. This early in the season we could still be dealing with a bit of an anomaly that will smooth out with time. Ayton finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in the game. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Due to Aytons versatility as a defender, the pick and roll is hard to execute consistently against the Suns. 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. We like to call that gathering place, Twitter. Blocked. Its too early to say with any confidence that Ayton isnt performing up to his previous efforts on defense. 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. The main struggles the Suns have faced have been on the defensive side of things, as they have averaged nearly 117 PPG through this stretch. There's no reason for Malone to go away from his small-ball gambit against the Suns. His self-awareness and body control allow for him to challenge opposing players without committing fouls. Offensive rating: Suns 122.5 (1st), Nuggets 117.2 (4th). Again, thats not a meaningless difference. 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. He thought wrong. Jae Crowder is cut off from defending him. Support local journalism. Interpreted as: ayton defense rating this regular season StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. The Clippers did this numerous times in the first round whenever Ayton set a ball screen for Durant or Booker. 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. We wrote about those small-ball, switch-heavy lineups in the week leading up to the playoffs.
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