Deandre Ayton finished with an NBA playoff career-low four points in the Phoenix Suns’ Game 3 win over the Denver Nuggets. Along the way, he was benched in clutch time amid a consistently criticized playoff run for him. The Suns now trail 2-1 in the series.
“Look, it’s tough for me to sit back and just be OK with all the slander that’s thrown DA’s way,” Landale said. “People are making him out to be like he’s this selfish individual who is playing terribly all the time, but it’s Deandre Ayton. DA has had 30 (points) and 20 (rebounds) game on the regular for a month at times this season,” Landale said, adding he’s tired of the criticism he hears directed at Ayton.
In Friday’s 121-114 victory over the Nuggets, Suns coach Monty Williams sat Ayton for the final 4:57 in place of Ayton, Landale closed the game.
“(Ayton) was into the game regardless,” Suns superstar Kevin Durant said. “He was on the same page with us, encouraging us, cheering for us when he was on the bench.
“I think DA just wants to be out there, he wants to contribute, and he wants to play well every single night. He wants to do everything right,” Durant explained. “Sometimes it can be a little frustrating when you don’t get the opportunity to showcase what you can do sometimes, but that’s just the nature of a team. Next guy got to step up and everybody just got to support. Looking forward to a big game from him next game.”
Landale was the most vocal about Ayton’s role on Saturday, saying that he has been “great for us” since Game 3 and after Saturday’s practice.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns & Denver Nuggets Updates
In a timeout after Jokic’s 3-point play pulled Denver within five points, 109-104, with 3:04 left, Ayton advised Landale on how to defend Nikola Jokic after shooting 2-of-6 from the field. A foul was committed on the play by Landale against Jokic.
“He was telling me the tendencies,” Landale said of Ayton. “DA has had a lot of experience guarding Jok. He’s done a really good job and he was just telling me this is what he’s trying to get to so know that. That’s the first time I’ve really matched up with Jok my whole career. He was letting me know where he wants to go.”
“In the moment, you typically know those things, but it’s good to have a reinforcement at that time,” Landale continued. “It’s a little guesswork because (Jokic) can do it all. It was really about hitting him his tendencies and what I was trying to take away.”
“For him to do that for me, he could’ve very easily been pissed and moaned about I’m coming out of the game with seven minutes to go, who has said anything about that,” Landale finished. “Who has said anything about DA coming up to me and you know what, I’m going to take myself out of my own situation and really reinforce what Jok’s tendencies are and encourage me a lot more because we’re in a man’s league and a lot of times, encouragement is left out of this thing.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns & Denver Nuggets Updates
Landale made it clear that Ayton’s presence as a great personality and leader for the team despite what the outside noise may suggest.
“If you watch when me and (Bismack Biyombo) are in the game and we do something well, DA is the first dude off that bench to stand up a clap, and that speaks volumes about his character, but people seem to totally forget about that,” Landale said. “That’s been something that DA has stood on all year and he’s continued to do that for other players around him, especially myself and Biz, is encourage us at times he’s not having the best night and he’s allowed to not have a great night.”
In Game 3, Ayton grabbed nine rebounds, but committed four fouls, missed a layup or dunk and turned the ball over with 5:59 remaining that led to a Nikola Jokic bucket. The MVP runner-up finished with 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 17 assists in 42 minutes.
Landale returned to the game a little more than a minute later for Ayton. Despite scoring only six points, Landale made all three of his field goal attempts, grabbed nine rebounds, and made the necessary hustle plays to help the Suns’ win.
“Jock was giving us great energy,” Williams said after Game 3. “I thought his pressure on the rim, just in transition, opened up a ton of lanes for all of our guys to attack the paint tonight in transition and then he just scrapped. You couldn’t point out anything that he did from a high-level skill perspective, but he just scrapped, and even when he was guarding (Jamal) Murray or guarding the smalls, he just competed.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns & Denver Nuggets Updates
It certainly turned heads that Williams chose Landale over Ayton down the stretch, but it helped the Suns in the end.
“Guys have tough games,” Williams said after Game 3. “DA didn’t have his best tonight but it’s great to have your brother out there that can pick it up for you.”
There have been criticisms that Ayton plays without a high level of energy consistently. Landale came to his teammate’s defense in that regard, too.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns & Denver Nuggets Updates
“DA has got an incredible motor,” Landale barked back at the question. “Sometimes the way the game flows, he gets a little bit frustrated and more power to him. He’s allowed to let that affect him sometimes, but we try to keep on him about proving why he’s got that max contract and why he’s the No. 1 draft pick.”
“He has all the talent in the world to really go out there and do what he wants to do,” Landale continued. “I understand a little bit of it, but at the same time, it’s a tough transition for him sometimes when coming from being a focal point of an offense to now we’ve got Kevin Durant and Devin Booker putting up damn near 50 points a night and he’s got to change his game.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns & Denver Nuggets Updates
A combined 86 points were scored by Booker and Durant in Game 3. Booker tied his playoff career-high with 47 points, while shooting 20-25 from the floor. Durant contributed 39 points on 12-31 shooting overall. Over the course of this series, Ayton has averaged only nine field goal attempts per game.
“There’s a little bit of a growing pain process in that, but at the same time, he still does so many good things for us,” Landale said. “He’s a great guy on the bench, locker room guy. There’s so many positives that people just seem to leave out and blatantly ignore and they just want to harp on the negatives. I know part of that is trying to push him to be better, but sometimes the guy just needs to be left alone and I think there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Ayton will have a chance to bounce back in Sunday’s Game 4 as the Suns aim to tie up the series 2-2 before playing Game 5 in Denver.
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