Deandre Ayton reveals what he couldn’t wait to show in the playoffs

TL;DR

Deandre Ayton expressed excitement about showcasing his defensive skills in the playoffs against the Houston Rockets. He highlighted his ability to switch and guard multiple players, emphasizing his confidence and teamwork.

Key points

Deandre Ayton is excited to showcase his defensive skills in the playoffs.
He effectively matched up with Alperen Sengun in the series against the Rockets.
Ayton has practiced guarding top players and switching on defense.
He feels confident due to strong chemistry with his teammates.

Deandre AytonAlperen SengunLos Angeles LakersHouston Rockets

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LOS ANGELES – Coming into their opening round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers knew that limiting All-Star big man Alperen Sengun was going to be a major point of focus. Through the Lakers’ first two games of the playoffs, Deandre Ayton has done an incredible job matching up with his Rockets’ counterpart.

But it hasn’t just been his defense on Sengun where Deandre Ayton has shined defensively for the Lakers in the playoffs. Ayton has been able to switch out on the Rockets’ perimeter players and help stymie their offense outside of the paint.

Following Lakers’ practice on Thursday ahead of Game 3, Ayton spoke about stepping up to the challenge defensively in this series.

“I love that. I couldn’t wait to show that. I thought it was gonna be a secret weapon, but I’ve been practicing and having multiple reps guarding the best players in the league on isolations,” Ayton said. “And the confidence is way up there. And I have extreme help, guys I built chemistry off the court with got my back. So yeah, I love switching.”

When it comes to defending the paint, Ayton has been able to body up Sengun and make things difficult for one of the better low post scorers in the NBA. During the regular season, Sengun shot 62 percent in the painted area, as per StatMuse.

In this series, Sengun has made only 15 of his 39 attempts (38.5 percent), with the vast majority of those shots coming in the painted area. While the Lakers’ defense has been a team effort, Ayton has been the primary defender on Sengun.

But then look at this play below of Game 1.

Q&A

What did Deandre Ayton say about his defensive performance in the playoffs?

Deandre Ayton stated he was eager to demonstrate his defensive skills and described them as a 'secret weapon' for the playoffs.

How has Deandre Ayton matched up against Alperen Sengun in the playoffs?

Ayton has effectively defended Alperen Sengun, contributing significantly to the Lakers' defensive strategy in the opening round against the Rockets.

What specific defensive skills did Ayton mention improving for the playoffs?

Ayton mentioned practicing guarding the best players in the league on isolations and his ability to switch onto perimeter players.

How does Ayton feel about the chemistry with his teammates during the playoffs?

Ayton expressed that he has built strong chemistry off the court with his teammates, which boosts his confidence on defense.