This is Deandre Ayton’s chance to reinvent himself.
He can rewrite the script. Change his narrative. Rehabilitate his name.
His issues around professionalism? Total focus on the court can quiet them.
His lack of consistency? Dominance down low can smooth over that storyline.
Ayton has gone from being a wildcard to being of pivotal importance to the Lakers in their second-round playoff series against the Thunder.
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“He’s the person that changes our ceiling the most,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Ayton is facing a frontcourt of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, two guys who are known for their elite rim protection.
In Game 1, Ayton had a good performance, finishing with a game-high-tying 12 rebounds along with 10 points.
But he needs to be better.
The Lakers need Ayton to play like a No. 1 overall pick.
They need him to take on the challenge of stopping Holmgren, who finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. They need him to pour himself into both sides of the court, owning the paint.
They need him to dominate in his role.
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Ayton was integral to the Lakers getting past the Rockets in their first-round series..
He averaged 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in 31 minutes in his first postseason appearance since 2023. He mostly outplayed Rockets center Alperen Sengun. In the Lakers’ Game 5 loss, he was one of the lone bright spots, finishing with 18 points and 17 rebounds. In their Game 6 clincher, he grabbed 16 boards.
When Ayton is at his best, the Lakers are a different team.
But his effort fluctuates.
That’s a major reason why the Suns traded him to the Trail Blazers in Sept. 2023 and the Blazers bought out his contract last June.
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When Ayton signed with the Lakers as a free agent this summer, he knew he had a golden opportunity to turn things around.
But his struggles followed him to Los Angeles.
He became disengaged when he felt he wasn’t getting enough touches. Sometimes he was a force. Other times, he was going through the motions.
His immaturity issues were present, too.
He infamously declared in the locker room in February, “I’m not no Clint Capela.” He was sometimes snappy with reporters.
But things shifted during the Lakers’ 16-2 run this spring. Instead of trying to be a star, he fully bought into starring in his role.
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It has been a difference-maker for the Lakers.
“DA’s had a great season,” Redick said. “He was instrumental in us getting past Houston. His baseline of who he is every day for the last two, two-and-a-half months has been awesome.”
Now the Lakers need Ayton to lock in even more.
He needs to make Holmgren think twice about shooting in the paint. In addition to grabbing rebounds, he needs to be physical. He needs to be disciplined.
In Game 1, Ayton helped the Lakers go on a 7-0 run to open the game. He was active. He made a putback layup. He was grabbing defensive rebounds. He was flying around everywhere.
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But things fell apart for him in the second half.
He was assessed his fourth foul a few minutes into the third quarter and only played 4 minutes in the period. In the fourth quarter, he had only one rebound and one shot attempt in nearly 9 minutes.
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The Thunder finished with 48 points in the paint.
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That’s not going to cut it.
Before facing the Thunder, Ayton was well-aware of the task ahead of him.
“It’s going to be big with me protecting that paint this series,” he said. “Them having 50-plus points in the paint — they’re a really unstoppable team.”
Well, Ayton, this is your chance to prove what you can do.
You were solid in Game 1, but that’s not enough. You need to be great.
The Lakers need you. And you need them.
You want to change your narrative. You want to show the world who you are. You want respect.
The Lakers and Ayton are in a symbiotic relationship, with both needing each other in this series to thrive.
Now’s the time, Ayton. Let’s see what you can do.
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