Suns-Nuggets preview, Pt. Booker, Paul, and Durant are all too experienced and too talented to see one style of defense over and over and over. The goal for the offense is to enough create space and miscommunication to generate an easy basket. The Raptors would bolster their weaknesses by acquiring Deandre Ayton Denver has kicked things into high gear in the postseason and ranks fifth in defensive rating after finishing just 17th during the regular season. Deandre Ayton's Biggest Weakness Was on Full Display Against Buffalo The NBA's next big unicorn prospect has struggled with defense since high school, and it became a full-blown nightmare in. Big offensive rebounds late in games, setting great screens with great angles. Naming the head coach as a playoff x-factor is unique, if not unprecedented. Arizona has forced only 11.8 turnovers per game, and that includes three games against overmatched . Actions that involved switching between two guards or wings were particularly problematic for Phoenix. Deandre Ayton is not in the Hall of Fame. But Jokic, whom he was responsible for guarding for a lot of the night, had 24 points and 19 rebounds in the game. Suns' Monty Williams hints at 'internal' reasons for only playing Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Monte Morris thought that isolating himself against the third-year center from the University of Arizona was a good idea. Where was DeAndre Jordan born? Will that lead to Suns coach Monty Williams playing Durant and Booker less? Suns drop to 3rd best title odds as Warriors advance to second round. . At other points, Phoenix's switching defense would present them with disadvantageous matchups. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. But it may be evidence Ayton is peaking, which if true is something worth thinking about. Phoenix, on the other hand, has ranked just 11th in rebounding in the playoffs. The Suns are succeeding despite Ayton, not because of him The reason for those high ratings is that the Suns starting five lineup has been decimating teams. The Nuggets finished the regular season with the best record in their conference for the first time in franchise history. 8. Phoenix's timing can also be off, resulting in flailing turnovers. He can guard multiple positions due to his lateral quickness and length. If you have your Bleacher Report notifications set to on, you will receive numerous micro-updates of the plays that awe and amaze nightly. It was 12.0 back in 04-05. Denver finished with the fifth-best offense during the regular season and led the NBA in field goal percentage. We get it. Eligibility restrictions apply. Try to play hard, man. He isn't DPOY-level, but he's a very good defender. Ayton can also play with way too much finesse as a finisher. July 23, Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. He has grown into his body from a mental standpoint. Nikola Joki Deandre AytonAaron Gordon Kevin DurantMichael Porter Jr. Torrey CraigKentavious Caldwell-Pope Devin BookerJamal Murray Chris Paul. Not to sound like the old guy in the room, but its a different game these days. Time and again Ayton has displayed the capacity to force smaller guards into shots theyd rather not take. The Suns are currently 5th in offensive rating and 2nd in defensive rating, which are the markings of an elite team. DeAndre Jordan was born on July 21, 1988. Its a rookie move as he advances into Adams space and generates quite the gravitational cluster. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 109.4 in his career. Guys will bump into each other in scripted actions due to a lack of familiarity. Find out more. Heck, DeAndre Jordan could even be worth a look to crash the glass against Phoenix's frail rebounding. Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, Draft: Deandre Ayton Def Rating Career | StatMuse The Suns and Nuggets faced off four times in the regular season, splitting the series 2-2. Just being a force, Booker said. Couple that with Crowders ability to see it as well and close in time to challenge the shot, and the shooter is taken out of his rhythm and misses. How To Watch NBA Playoffs First-Round: Suns at Clippers Game 3 When things don't work so swimmingly, Durant is just occupying space away from the action. "In an ideal world, I actually want even more," Suns head coach Monty Williams said postgame on Ayton. Offensive and defensive ratings for NBA players. He could be frustrated, but he wasnt. In the other two, Denver sat a majority of its starters. He appeared to be tentative in early contests against the Mavericks and Kings, but by the time the Suns played the Nuggets, Deandre was using his size and physicality to move the opposition off of their spots. He doesn't get many blocks, but that's because he doesn't go for blocks. That didnt go over well with his teammates. Communicating to my teammates what they cant see. Check out this Caesars Sportsbook promo code for April 2023 here. All rights reserved. pic.twitter.com/VaHtoxu9fn, Lakers Vino (@VinoUncorked) April 30, 2023, Wth is DeAndre Ayton doing here? Ayton's averaging 16 points on 53 percent from the field to go with 11.8 rebounds in the postseason. Last season, Ayton defended 5.6 shots per game inside six feet, and had a defended field goal percentage of just 58%: almost six percent BELOW those same shooters' averages at the distance.. Ayton's decision-making in the open floor as the "short roller" left a lot to be desired. Now, no team has performed better than Denver at defending in transition in the postseason, but the Suns are a whole new level of a challenge. The more you watch Deandre, the more you notice him calling out plays from the rear. Deandre Ayton - Basketball-Reference.com When we set the shot distance to six feet or less, we can get a good idea of how often a player is defending shots in the paint, and what the outcome of those shots has been. It stresses the defense and tires their legs. I'm so tired. Defense isnt sexy. Start your online subscription. Needlessly standing there, hands at his sides, completely uninvolved in the offense. Phoenix Suns NBA 2K23 Roster | 2K Ratings for No. by John Wilmes. Along with rebounding, Ayton continues to set specific screens to help free up Paul, Booker and Durant, three guys who utilize and manipulate them in different ways. Durant's usage rate was reflective of that. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? At best, he's Phoenix's fourth option now, a major change from being the face of the franchise when he was first drafted. PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers in action against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston . Oops. They improve to 29-13 for the season, good for second-best in the Western Conference. Thus, he should be "hidden" on Caldwell-Pope. His ability to face-up and splash shots from the midrange almost immediately made him the go-to option in Phoenix. And while some fans will (and arguably should) continue to ask more domination from Dominayton, Im more interested in his defense at the moment.