The Los Angeles Lakers walked out of Phoenix with a win on Sunday night, but the game was closer to disaster than the final score suggested. After leading by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles trailed briefly in the final seconds until LeBron James' late free throws sealed the victory. For Deandre Ayton, this night is particularly important.
Facing the Phoenix Suns, the team that selected him in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton had a strong performance of 20 points and 13 rebounds. For the Lakers big man, however, it was the emotional intensity of the game that stood out most beyond the statistics.
Ayton admitted via Spectrum SportsNet how quickly the floor temperatures were rising.
“Honestly, it was an exciting game,” Ayton said after the win. “We played with an edge. That continued into the final stages of the game. Hats off to the officials for being patient with us, because things could have really turned ugly. They managed it all for us and allowed us to compete at the highest level.”
Ayton’s history with the Suns is complicated. He was a central figure in Phoenix's run to the 2021 NBA Finals, and less than two years later he was transferred to Portland in what was widely believed to be a salary-driven decision. Sunday is another chance for him to perform in front of a fan base that once embraced him.
Ayton said the Lakers remained calm amid the chaos of the final minutes despite the Suns' frenzied comeback.
“We were very calm. It's really the arena and they love it,” Ayton said. “They were engaged throughout the whole process. Just the excitement and the environment, that's not really who we are. We're not worried about what's going on, we're just focused and focused.”
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