Throughout the season, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has continually spoken about center Deandre Ayton and his importance to the success of this team. When Ayton has played well, the Lakers have generally been successful. But after a strong first round in the playoffs, he has struggled in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Despite that, with the Lakers now facing elimination at home on Monday night, Redick still has belief in Ayton and feels he will come through and help this team extend the series.
“Look, I’ve been around DA for a season now,” Redick told reporters after practice on Sunday. “I know how special he is for our group to succeed. And I told him this morning, I said to him in the Houston series at one point he was the big part of the reason we were winning the series. He was a big part of the reason we won the series. I believe in him and he’s going to help us win tomorrow.”
In the first round against the Rockets, Ayton averaged a double-double while also playing excellent physical defense against All-Star Alperen Sengun. But the Thunder series has been a different story as Ayton is averaging just 7.7 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting just 39.3% from the field in the first three games. He has been thoroughly outplayed by Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein and has just been unable to get going against the defending champions.
Ayton had his struggles throughout the season, but really turned a corner down the stretch, embracing his role as a defender and rebounder and giving the Lakers some strong stretches of play. Redick is correct in calling him a big part of the Lakers advancing out of the first round, but they need more if they plan on extending this series against the Thunder.
The fact that Redick is still expressing so much belief in Ayton should help give the big man confidence heading into a win or go home situation on Monday night at home.
Austin Reaves reveals message inside Lakers locker room going into Game 4
Obviously the Lakers’ backs are against the wall and they will have to play at the highest level to keep their season alive. History is against the Lakers as no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history, but that doesn’t mean this team won’t come out and compete against the Thunder and Austin Reaves made it clear what the message inside the Lakers’ locker room is going into Game 4.
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