Motivated by last year's Finals loss, Phoenix's Deandre Ayton has expanded his game in the hopes of finishing the job
. With Paul out, Suns coach Monty Williams told Ayton he wanted him to play “like a grown man” in every facet of his game. And in that time with Paul sidelined, Ayton actually shotfrom the restricted area, nonrestricted area paint and midrange. As much as Paul drives his centers’ success, Ayton’s screen setting and touch carries over no matter who is on the floor.
“He knows when to get behind the defense for a lob, he knows when to stay in the pocket for a floater, he always knows how to find that window,” Payne says. He adds that Ayton is adept at working to the advantages of the specific guard he’s setting a pick for. “Especially with me because I’m so fast, he’s in the pocket because I love taking off. It just messes up defenders, because they don’t know whether to be up or stay back.
While Ayton clearly spent time in the gym to round out his offensive repertoire, the experience he gained during Phoenix’s Finals run also played a major role in his improvement. During the postseason, DA held his own against the likes of Anthony Davis, Jokić and Antetokounmpo—onA significant part of what makes Ayton such a valuable big in today’s NBA is the different roles he can fulfill defensively. He can drop and protect the paint, deterring guards from challenging him inside.
“You can put DA in anything,” says Bryant. “You can put him up on a screen and he can move his feet. You can switch. He can do anything you want him to do. That helps us where we can change our defense. There’s not too many guys like that. He’s so athletic you can put him in any situation and he’ll thrive in it.”
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Valorant agent Fade revealed, more details coming at Masters FinalsVALORANT's newest agent Fade will be revealed the same day the winners of VALORANTMasters are crowned. Well, technically the newcomer has already been revealed, although we know next to nothing right now. 📰 Read more:
Read more »
Deandre Ayton addresses shoulder hit from Pelicans rookie Herb JonesSuns big Deandre Ayton took shoulder from Pelicans rookie Herbert Jones to his jaw in the fourth quarter of Phoenix's Game 1 win over New Orleans.
Read more »
Sixers Fans Hyped Up For Game 2 Against Raptors Despite Philadelphia's Reinstated Mask MandateSixers fans are getting ready for Game 2 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, but there is a big change at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia Monday night ARobertsCBS reports
Read more »
The Best Pasta to Lose Abdominal Fat—Ranked! — Eat This Not ThatWhile pasta gets a bad rap for being high in carbs, there are several healthy options that can help with your abdominal fat loss goals.
Read more »
5 Best Final Fantasy Games of All Time Ranked by Sales | HackerNoonFinal Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy VIII are the 5 best-selling games in the Final Fantasy franchise.
Read more »
NASA's next moon rocket gets final repairs ahead of mission launchThe NASA Artemis I mega moon rocket will experience some tweaks before its next attempt at a crucial prelaunch test. The team will roll the 322-foot-tall Artemis I rocket stack back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on April 26.
Read more »