The Suns are leaving too much food on the table by having Durant space the floor as much as he has. In this style of pick-and-roll defense, the big man just outright double-teams the ball-handler. has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Where was DeAndre Jordan born? All rights reserved. Everybody was cursing me out to rebound, Ayton said. There may come a time when Denver needs to make small changes to its rotation. The Deandre Ayton experience can be frustrating. The 351st-ranked defense last season, North Carolina A&T, allowed 1.23 points per possession. Needlessly standing there, hands at his sides, completely uninvolved in the offense. pic.twitter.com/cyGL05LP9h. Hes only going to get better. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 111.0 this season. Will Porter Jr. be used as a secondary defender against Booker and Durant in the pick-and-roll or in the post? Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. Read our expert rankings on the best sports betting sites here. by John Wilmes. And while some fans will (and arguably should) continue to ask more domination from Dominayton, Im more interested in his defense at the moment. Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. Yet despite its occasional clunkiness, the Suns are scoring the second-most halfcourt points per 100 possessions in the postseason, a reflection of the baseline level of absurd offensive talent on the roster. In other words, they'll need Ayton to play like a . Though drop coverage is great for curtailing at-rim attempts, it concedes off-the-dribble shots from the three-point line and the midrange. People climbing up on your shoulders like youre a ladder. Deandre Ayton averages 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. The news comes from . Ayton currently ranks 12th in the NBA in total rebounding with 10.7 per game. Pace: Suns 99.50 (Tied-9th), Nuggets 94.82 (Tied-11th). Last season? The oldest play in the book. Motor? Not only did Durant become a Sun just two short months ago, he also dealt with an ankle sprain in March that kept him off the floor for three full weeks. 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). 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. 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 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. Any center worth his weight in Chipotle burritos should have the ability to box out on the defensive end. If it reaches a Game 7 in Denver, Phoenix will be in trouble, but it wont. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1 seed in the West for the first time ever. Never made an all star team (or all nba or all defense team). Phoenix, meanwhile, has taken things up another level in the playoffs with Durant in the fold. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. When you think of pick and roll, you think of Steven Adams and Zion Williamson, dont you? 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. It was an unnecessary switch. (45-37, 4th place in NBA Western Conference), Next Game: Void in ONT. 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. Ayton had 18 points in Game 1, but he grabbed just eight rebounds with only three coming in the first half of last weeks loss. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 4:39AM. His offensive and defensive ratings are also the highest of his career according to Basketball-Reference. Durant was one of the best pick-and-roll ball handlers this season in Brooklyn, and he's a historically great post-up player. That strategy sure looks good when Booker runs pick-and-roll and Durant gets a corner three while his man rotates over to Ayton. 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. The pick and roll. Gambling Problem? Thats about it. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). They have split their 14 matchups with Ayton winning four of his seven in that 2021 postseason sweep. While his numbers are down from last season, he'smaking a more pronounced impact while on the court, with a career-high offensive rating and defensive rating. His ability to face-up and splash shots from the midrange almost immediately made him the go-to option in Phoenix. He is shooting at a ridiculous 70.6% FG and has a True Shooting percentage of 70.3, the most in NBA history. Check out this Caesars Sportsbook promo code for April 2023 here. Whoever can avoid picking up fouls and being loose with the ball will greatly determine the series. Points allowed: Suns 115.6 (9th), Nuggets 105 (5th). Mike Conley gets nailed by Joki's screen, so Gobert "hedges" out to Murray to stop his dribble. Game Recap: Suns eclipsed by hot Nuggets, fall 125-107. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. You have to be physical but not too physical, finesse but not exploitable. The Nuggets are at 20.4. 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. 2018 #1 pick vs. 2019 #1 pick. Really? Murray then scored 31 on the Suns in 2020-21 season. Advantage. pic.twitter.com/x17aJC3fOI, HTB (@HenryTheBlasian) April 30, 2023, All out effort from Ayton in this play. This early in the season we could still be dealing with a bit of an anomaly that will smooth out with time. 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. While talented on the offensive end, the team has displayed the ability to switch, defend, and deter. 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. If you crash and dont snag the rebound, the opposition is off to the races and youre left behind watching the highlights. You get to push guys around and you get to jump over people. A lot of the talk about Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton has been about his point and rebound totals. Advantage: Suns. Click to login It includes: On/off/position stats for team and opponent shooting by location We may yearn for Domin-Ayton on the offensive end, slamming the ball through the cylinder with authority and ferocity, our Twitter notifications going wild as we celebrate the offensive greatness that is DA. DeandreAyton He knows that if he cheats and gets beat, Deandre is behind him fortifying the defense. A block. He has a total of 15 Badges. Thats a meaningful amount. Shooting Sign up for the DA with another solid night to stem the Heat in the 4th. Maybe he loves basketball so much he cant help to just watch pic.twitter.com/71Oi4Mr3qj, Three Level Scorer (@3LevelScorer) April 30, 2023. Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin atdmrankin@gannett.comor contact him at 480-787-1240. His defensive IQ continues to grow and with it comes the intelligence on how to effectively stop the fast break. Odds and lines subject to change. Through their first 10 games, the Suns had a. Serge Ibaka had a terrific run with the Oklahoma City Thunder alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the third-best starter on the team that made the NBA Finals in the 2011-12 NBA season. To Craig's credit, he made LA pay for the strategy by shooting 55.6 percent from deep in the series. Booker, Paul, and Durant are all too experienced and too talented to see one style of defense over and over and over. 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. Ayton, the No. It stresses the defense and tires their legs. 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. The Tremendous Jimmy Butler. 1998 Defensive awareness needs to improve. Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin atdmrankin@gannett.comor contact him at 480-787-1240. 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. Booker carryover: Next to Miamis Jimmy Butler, Booker has been the best player in the playoffs so far. It is no easy task keeping him from the basketball. As a team, the Nuggets are shooting the fourth-best three-point percentage in the postseason. You know, role players. If so, then Williams will need more from his bench. So Im putting the ball on the ground and trying to see what I can get out of it.. Craig will have his hands full with Porter Jr.'s movement shooting, who shot 42.4 percent from three in the first round. Being that anchor and aggressor. Have no fear, Mikal, as DA is there. Just being a force, Booker said. Do you have a sports website? Denver's defensive alignments should look oddly similar to how they matched up with Minnesota in the first round. Like Denver with Porter Jr., Durant will be in free safety mode. But lets look at Ayton last season. Oops. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). The key to Game 1, and perhaps the entire series, is whether Deandre Ayton can guard Jokic one on one. The battle on the boards is also worth keeping an eye on. It'll be interesting to see if Denver adopts a similar strategy. Its a collective group, but both ways, though, too. Do you have a blog? Phoenix's defensive matchups are a little more interesting. 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. Denver has kicked things into high gear in the postseason and ranks fifth in defensive rating after finishing just 17th during the regular season. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. The league average for pace-of-play is 101.3 possessions-per-48-minutes. Still, Phoenix shot a robust 51.2%, and its 110.5 offensive rating in Game 1 was practically the equivalent of the regular-season Rockets (Houston had the third-worst offensive efficiency in the . I'm so tired. Here's an example of what that looks like from the Timberwolves series. Maybe. DeAndre Jordan is 6-11 (211 cm) tall. Luka Doncic uses a high screen set by Willie Cauley-Stein in an effort to switch out of the pesky defense of Bridges. Explore Who was drafted #1 overall in 2020? 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. pic.twitter.com/gD09a1icHe, DA has moments where he looks active and effective and then he has moments where hes doing this.The Deandre Ayton experience is an endless rollercoaster ride. 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. Support local journalism: Subscribe toazcentral.comtoday. Ayton holds his ground however, not falling for the sudden change of direction, and follows him down the lane. Aytons court vision allows for the recognition on this play. Due to Aytons versatility as a defender, the pick and roll is hard to execute consistently against the Suns. Nuggets coach Michael Malone and Williams established a culture that has been the foundation for the success of their teams. 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. 5. PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers in action against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston . 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. Home Current Teams Phoenix Suns Deandre Ayton An increase in rangy athleticism could be on the menu for Denver to throw at Durant and Booker. The relationship between Ayton and the Suns has reportedly soured . Who has the most 20 rebound games? Phoenix, meanwhile, has struggled on that end of the floor with the fourth-worst playoff defense. And its getting ugly. Support local journalism. We calculate trade values by evaluating the performance of all center's across dozens of stat categories including how their performance has stacked up to expectations and their projected outlook. deandreayton, Position: Heck, DeAndre Jordan could even be worth a look to crash the glass against Phoenix's frail rebounding. 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. 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. Boston's Kyrie Irving was regarded as a slightly above-average defender by RPM last year, for instance. Averaging 16/10 in his 4 year caeer. Jae Crowder is cut off from defending him. The defensive side of the ball is where we might see some separation between the two teams. DeAndre Jordan weighs 265 lbs (120 kg). Like a cornerback covering a receiver, the goal is to keep your hips square. He is shooting a career-high 64.7 percent from the field and his per-36 average of 20.7 points is a career-best as well. Ayton is at 51.1%, a career-high and major . Below is Phoenix Suns' 2K full team roster. The more he focuses on excelling, the better he will be. Ayton is averaging 17.0 points and 11.1 rebounds in 124 starts this season. Jokic vs. Ayton. Please enter a valid email and try again. Explore all Phoenix Suns NBA player stats - including scoring, rebounding, shooting, assists & more! Defense and Rebounding. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Actions that involved switching between two guards or wings were particularly problematic for Phoenix. The Pick: Deandre Ayton Over 10.5 Rebounds (-137) -- I've faded Deandre Ayton's rebounds prop in the past, but you simply can't argue with the results of late. The Seven Seconds of Less era truly revolutionized the way way the game is played. Hedging is a style of pick-and-roll defense where the big man jumps out toward the ball-handler and then recovers back to his man. Durant's usage rate was reflective of that. Sometimes, he'll just outright miss the open shooter. Well, for one, he can have Joki play much closer to screens and "hedge." Phoenix Suns center. Eventually, the ball finds Zubac in the post, and Durant was no match for the overpowering LA center, leading to free throws. You get a feel for the newness of the Suns in the halfcourt. Guys will bump into each other in scripted actions due to a lack of familiarity. Interpreted as: ayton defense rating this regular season StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. Per Cleaning the Glass, Ayton has increased the percentage of opponents missed field goals rebounded (fgDR%) from 77% last season to 88% this season. #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. Naming the head coach as a playoff x-factor is unique, if not unprecedented. 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. Denver's pick-and-roll defense will rightfully be put under the microscope against Phoenix. Ayton's averaging 16 points on 53 percent from the field to go with 11.8 rebounds in the postseason. His defensive rating per 100 possessions is the best of his career, proving to be a slam dunk addition by general manager James Jones last offseason. That not debatable with a player who is 7-foot-1, 260 pounds, freakishly athletic and . Jokic is the reigning two-time MVP. Center Altitude, minutes and Suns bench: Durant and Booker averaged 44 and 43.2 minutes in the Clippers series. 7'1" big 24.6 years old #1 pick in 2018. . "In an ideal world, I actually want even more," Suns head coach Monty Williams said postgame on Ayton. Follow him on Twitter@Jeremy_Cluff. We like to call that gathering place, Twitter. Teams use switches constantly to create favorable mismatches for their offense. The year Steve Nash came to Phoenix in 2004-05 and led the league with a pace of 95.9, the league average was 90.9. On the other hand,. We hear everybody out on this team. And its getting ugly. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Phoenix needs to clean things up in both of these areas versus Denver. Interpreted as: Deandre Ayton defense rating this regular season StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. 1 overall of the 2018 NBA Draft, shot 8-of-12 from the field and was a team-best +20 in his 34 minutes. https://t.co/9DCUJpkfTJ. Twice in the first half, Phoenix set screens at the elbow for Durant to curl off and dribble into midrange jumpers. But that's the best-case scenario. 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. Sign up for the Have opinion about current state of theSuns? Motor, come on, Ayton said. Many Phoenix Suns fans have been critical of Deandre Ayton's effort and "heart" on the court through the years. Thats Dominayton, man, said Ayton, using a hybrid off his last name and "domination. Their 33-point loss was the worst defeat at home in a Game 7 since the St. Louis Bombers lost by 39 in 1948. His block percentage is up slightly from last season to 2.5% from 2.1%, his steal percentage is down slightly to 0.8% from 1.1%. and Deandre Ayton is not the best defensive big man in the world (he ranks around the 68th percentile in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks and Threes). As a center you see plenty of these sets run right at you nightly. They give Durant extra attention, Booker can continue to cook. Initially he is beat by Conley as he opts to go left. More than likely, the Nuggets will mix and match coverages to throw Phoenix off the scent. 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 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. The Nuggets finished the regular season with the best record in their conference for the first time in franchise history. Think of it as a very brief switch. 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. Your default site has been set for 7 days, Deandre Ayton's evolution steals spotlight in Suns statement win in Miami, career-high offensive rating and defensive rating. Yet it wasnt the Wardens play that caught my eye. That didnt go over well with his teammates. What? Arizona has forced only 11.8 turnovers per game, and that includes three games against overmatched . Chris Paul and Kevin Durant preparing in Denver, 'Going to be fun': Deandre Ayton looking forward to matchup with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Suns-Nuggets: Nikola Jokic needs NBA title to take spot alongside MVPs like LeBron, Jordan, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Doing anything to get a rebound and thats the type of player I am. The goal for the offense is to enough create space and miscommunication to generate an easy basket. He also appears to be lagging last years pace on defensive win shares, which purport to estimate player impact contributed due to defense. . So, what can Malone do instead? That rings twice as true for backup center, Bismack Biyombo. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Try to play hard, man. Framework for a deal that benefits both sides long-term is somewhere around $90 million or more . I dont know, I really dont know what I do every night, Ayton said after Game 4. Deandre Ayton is on Instagram at deandreayton. My name is Dominayton. I anchor the Phoenix Suns on both ends the floor. They started off in the drop. Its very similar to the performance so far of the Miami Heats Bam Adebayo, for example. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Deandre Edoneille Ayton Whether Ayton likes it or not, the Suns need his motor to be running hotter from here on out. 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. 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. 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. But his opponents' shooting data suggests he's a big liability instead. Nope, I run on Tesla battery. Oops. Aytons athleticism is vital to his ability to defend the transition. Not bad, to be clear, but it feels like there's another level for him on this iteration of the Phoenix Suns. Center of the Sun: The Rubio mentality, next-level Booker, and respect. Their defensive rating has gone from 29th to 17th to sixth. Did he forget his job is to get boards? You have to possess the ability to make quick decisions in transition. Statistical model by Nate Silver. The Nuggets will mix up their defenses, but if Booker remains hot, theyll have to make firmer decisions. Already a member? 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. DominAyton, Tiger, Dominator are nicknames for Deandre Ayton. Jae Crowder on what they've been emphasizing to Deandre Ayton and the potential the Suns have with him defensively: pic.twitter.com/9PbasSyJEY. Game Recap: Suns eclipsed by hot Nuggets, fall 125-107. Mistakes happen (and some players are very hard to categorize)! He was one of five Suns players to score in double figures including a team-high 23 points from. But again, he is learning how to use his body to negate defenders from the ball. Splits Defensively Im where I need to be at, Ayton stated last week. 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. Its too early to say with any confidence that Ayton isnt performing up to his previous efforts on defense. 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. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. . Ayton is having another excellent season, arguably the best of his career. Ayton finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in the game. He recorded a 105 defensive rating on the year, and he does a solid job of protecting the rim. 2: Booker's defense could face healthy Murray. 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. 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. As Zion comes to the free throw line, he crosses over, attempting to juke by Ayton. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. If you see anything that looks wrong, please let me know. It's Ayton's job to put up some kind of defense to keep Jokic from dominating the way he does & impacting the game. Deandre Ayton is on Twitter at DeandreAyton. Having the ability to navigate it successfully from a defensive standpoint is challenging. The Suns will need more than a Tesla motor to stop the two-time MVP. The perimeter defense of the Suns knows that he is behind him to protect the chances they take. Deandre Ayton 7'1" big 24.7 years old Profile Positions On/Off Stats Game Logs Lineups Trends Team Efficiency and Four Factors The rest of this page is for subscribers only. Josh Okogie has become Phoenixs sixth man in the postseason, but hes not enough. Someone like Reggie Jackson comes to mind. Their 21-5 streak, after stumbling to an 8-8 start, is the best record in the league since late January. It will be on Malone to push the right buttons. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Do you blame him? Phoenix, on the other hand, has ranked just 11th in rebounding in the playoffs. Denver has kicked things into high gear in the postseason and ranks fifth in defensive rating after finishing just 17th during the regular season. They're also 5th in points allowed at 105 PPG and 6th in defensive rating at 109.6. Latest on Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Defensive rating: Suns 116.3 (12th), Nuggets 109.6 (6th). Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 110.9 this season. pic.twitter.com/VaHtoxu9fn, Lakers Vino (@VinoUncorked) April 30, 2023, Wth is DeAndre Ayton doing here?

Post Finasteride Syndrome Mayo Clinic, Steve Priest Cause Of Death, Gary Selesner Wife, Articles D