The Los Angeles Lakers celebrated a convincing victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, securing a 128-110 win. While the spotlight was partially on Luka Doncic, who had a record-setting performance, a critical factor in the Lakers’ success was the revitalized play of Deandre Ayton, particularly in the second half.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura noted the transformation in Ayton’s intensity coming out of halftime. “Especially in the second half… the first half he didn’t really play that well. After the first half coming out into the third quarter, I saw in his eyes that he was locked in. So I was like, ‘come on DA, let’s go,’” Hachimura remarked. He praised Ayton’s contributions: “He was amazing, rebounding, just being a presence on defense, on offense… he did all that we asked for, he was the man.”
In the matchup against the Timberwolves, Ayton delivered a solid performance, accumulating 15 points, eight rebounds, and a block in 31 minutes of play, shooting an efficient 7-of-11 from the field. His opening night against the Golden State Warriors was promising as well, where he posted ten points and six rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting, though he showed signs of being a bit passive.
The acclimatization to his new teammates has been essential for Ayton, who acknowledged the adjustment needed when playing as a center. Despite a less assertive performance during the loss to the Warriors, Ayton experienced a noticeable shift with his teammates eagerly looking to set him up on Friday. Doncic, in particular, played a key role, dishing out assists that facilitated Ayton’s effective scoring.
With the absence of the Lakers’ two leading scorers, Doncic and LeBron James, Ayton now has an opportunity to step up further as he embarks on this upcoming stretch. Historically, the former No. 1 overall pick has maintained strong performance metrics, averaging 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 blocked shots with impressive shooting percentages.
As the Lakers gear up for games against the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers, Ayton’s newfound aggressiveness could be pivotal in enhancing the team’s performance during this challenging period. The hope is that he will seize the moment and continue building momentum as the season progresses.