2018 #1 pick vs. 2019 #1 pick. With just over 5:08 left in the first half, Ayton was shown watching Kevin Durant battle with Nikola Jokic for a rebound instead of coming to his teammate's aid by trying to secure the rebound himself. Try to play hard.. Something went wrong. His self-awareness and body control allow for him to challenge opposing players without committing fouls. Two days and a conversation with Williams later, Ayton was more upbeat after Mondays practice about how hes impacted the series going into Tuesdays Game 5 at Footprint Center. Everybody was cursing me out to rebound, Ayton said. As a result of his understanding of the pick and roll, Deandre easily blocks his shot, Booker retrieves the rebound, and the Suns begin a transition possession. Here's an example of what that looks like from the Timberwolves series. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. for No. "I really don't care about offense. View Gallery: Photos: Suns vs. Clippers Game 4 playoffs, April 22, 2023, Phoenix Suns fans slam Deandre Ayton after Game 3 vs. Clippers: 'Youre better than this', Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Figures displayed are rounded to the nearest tenth, but placement along the line is based on unrounded RAPTOR or WAR values. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Over the years, he's transformed into more of a nominal pick-and-roll big man. It may be worth noting that Ayton defends far fewer such shots than some other centers (seven players in the league are defending eight or more such shots per game), but that goes less to Aytons performance and more the Suns defensive tactics. It is due to this desire for highlight-worthy content that I feel Deandre Ayton gets a bad rap from the casual Suns fan (and sometimes the not-so-casual fan as well). Room for growth exists, however, as his adjusted box out rate is in the 61st percentile. Booker carryover: Next to Miamis Jimmy Butler, Booker has been the best player in the playoffs so far. Denver must force someone else to beat them other than Durant or Booker. Offensive rating: Suns 122.5 (1st), Nuggets 117.2 (4th). newsletter. DeAndre Jordan is 6-11 (211 cm) tall. How and when Malone alternates his defensive coverages could greatly dictate the flow of games. Jimmy Butler Jimmy Butler's 2021-2022 defensive statistics are similar to Draymond Green's; they aren't great. It's been a popular tactic for Denver's opponents to ignore Gordon at the three-point line, and Gordon gives Durant the perfect opportunity to cheat off his man and sky for blocks when Denver tries to get to the rim. Deandre Edoneille Ayton Really? Got to protect the rim. Whether Ayton likes it or not, the Suns need his motor to be running hotter from here on out. Will that lead to Suns coach Monty Williams playing Durant and Booker less? Ibaka led the NBA in blocks per game in the 2012 and 2013 seasons with 3.7 BPG and 3.0 BPG and made the All-Defensive First Teams between 2012 and 2014 as well. More: 'Going to be fun': Deandre Ayton looking forward to matchup with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. His defensive rating (a fairly complicated calculation designed to provide an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions, so lower is better) is 109 this season, which is up from 105 last season. Per Cleaning the Glass, Ayton has increased the percentage of opponents missed field goals rebounded (fgDR%) from 77% last season to 88% this season. So far this season, Ayton is defending 4.7 such shots per game and has a defended field goal percentage of 64.6, which is almost dead-on with the 64.7 season average for those shooters. Booker, Paul, and Durant are all too experienced and too talented to see one style of defense over and over and over. Data Provided By We calculate trade values by evaluating the performance of all center's across dozens of stat categories including how their performance has stacked up to expectations and their projected outlook. Durant, Booker and Paul each scored 17 points in the second half of Saturdays Game 4 win, but Aytons plus-13 was the highest plus/minus of any starter in the second half of Game 4. Ayton has posted a double-double in back-to-back contests, and the Suns have claimed a 2-1 lead over the Clippers after dropping Game 1. It paid off handsomely. The 351st-ranked defense last season, North Carolina A&T, allowed 1.23 points per possession. Despite a 10 height disparity, Ayton accepts the challenge and holds his base. In the other two, Denver sat a majority of its starters. Landry Shamet continues to be the first guy off the bench for the Suns. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He is shooting a career-high 64.7 percent from the field and his per-36 average of 20.7 points is a career-best as well. Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton. Click to login It includes: On/off/position stats for team and opponent shooting by location Defense isnt as easy to quantify as offense, unfortunately. Utilizing Joki as the drop defender is just asking for a thunderstorm of midrange buckets. Deandre stands with arms raised, covering the width of a Dodge Ram 1500. More: 'Going to be fun': Deandre Ayton looking forward to matchup with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic Altitude, minutes and Suns bench: Durant and Booker averaged 44 and 43.2 minutes in the Clippers. Its ever so subtle on this play, but as Dorian Finney-Smith rolls out of a dribble hand-off, Ayton recognizes it. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns' Deandre Ayton blasted for lack of effort in Game 1 vs. Nuggets, Phoenix Suns fans slam Monty Williams for playing, Suns' Deandre Ayton blasted for lack of effort in Game 1 vs. Nuggets. What? So, what can Malone do instead? As mentioned earlier, Denver should absolutely explore blitzing Phoenix's pick-and-rolls with Booker and Durant to get the ball out of their hands. Phoenix is aggressive about pushing the ball up the floor on misses and turnovers, and they have multiple top-tier passers that can connect the dots to find the open man on the break. Deandre Ayton is easily having the best playoff debut run by any player in NBA history. For the Suns to take down the top-seeded Nuggets in their second-round series, they'll need Ayton to narrow his role - then thrive in it. The views on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the NBA or its clubs. Phoenix Suns center. So I stopped looking at Mikal highlights and began analyzing Deandre Ayton. Denver and Phoenix each boast high-powered offenses with Hall of Fame hubs commandeering things, so there's a good chance this series becomes a bit of a shootout. Jae Crowder is cut off from defending him. Durant has only played in eight regular season games and five postseason games with his new squad. PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers in action against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston . Support local journalism. We hear everybody out on this team. Eventually, the ball finds Zubac in the post, and Durant was no match for the overpowering LA center, leading to free throws. How old is DeAndre Jordan? LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Suns vs Rockets . Deandre Ayton. The Phoenix Suns dropped from best odds to win the West to 3rd best, despite still being 2nd best to win the whole league. You know, role players. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but increasing the number of sets explicitly tailored to Durant's skillset only behooves Phoenix. Spread: Suns +2.5 . Ayton has had to adjust in this series to facing Zubac and backup Clippers big Mason Plumlee one minute and working against Ty Lues small lineup the next. 16.3 shots per game, 44%, 4.1% below shooter averages. "He's notone-dimensional. After the Suns declined to sign Ayton to a five-year, rookie-scale max extension before the 2021-22 season, restricted free agency is now on the horizon for the athletic big man. Right, Born: Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The Suns have absolutely destroyed drop coverage in the postseason, which is a style of pick-and-roll defense in which the big man hangs back close to the rim instead of near the screen. The Suns are leaving too much food on the table by having Durant space the floor as much as he has. The pick and roll. And then finally, Michael Porter Jr. will be somewhat of a free safety for Denver. Some other big men known for great defense, like Gobert and Joel Embiid, are also appearing to have less impressive performances on that end so far this season. His ability to face-up and splash shots from the midrange almost immediately made him the go-to option in Phoenix. The 24-year-old scoffed at the notion . There are times when it almost feels like the Suns forget they have Kevin Durant on the team. The third-year center continues to develop into an interior force. Developed WARP rating and . They're shooting a blistering 53.3 percent from the field and have the best postseason offense. Sam Cooper (@scooperhoops) April 30, 2023, Im off but this is unacceptable Ayton tripping pic.twitter.com/TP6p7nlO9K, The Suns are not a contender if this is the version of Ayton they get dude is an unserious basketball player. Mikal can be great and take risks due to the presence of Ayton. Guys will bump into each other in scripted actions due to a lack of familiarity. Keeping its non-Joki small-ball units on the floor as much as possible is also in Denver's best interest. Ayton can feast against both of these strategies. We hear from him, too. Their 33-point loss was the worst defeat at home in a Game 7 since the St. Louis Bombers lost by 39 in 1948. Try to play hard, man. While the night did not go to plan for anyone on the Suns, it was particularly rough for. Collectively the Suns are defined appropriately as pesky. Deandre Ayton has made at least $40,379,230 playing professional basketball. Blitzing is a great way to get the ball out of Booker and Durant's hands when they run pick-and-roll. Nuggets coach Michael Malone and Williams established a culture that has been the foundation for the success of their teams. 2: Booker's defense could face healthy Murray. Their 21-5 streak, after stumbling to an 8-8 start, is the best record in the league since late January. From there, it's on that player to either continue dribbling toward the rim, take a midrange jumper, or make a pass to an open teammate. Paul, Booker, and Durant are all lethal midrange scorers and utilize specific moves like the "snake dribble" to find windows of opportunity against dropping big men. Josh Okogie has become Phoenixs sixth man in the postseason, but hes not enough. It's an odd. The physicality turned up a little bit more. Historically, Joki has had a pretty easy time scoring against Ayton and has made 49.4 percent of his shots with Ayton as the closest defender in his career. Thats Dominayton, man, said Ayton, using a hybrid off his last name and "domination. Your weekly roundup of Phoenix Suns news, rumors, notes and videos from the prior week plus a preview of the week to come. Read more about how our RAPTOR player ratings work, or download this data. Phoenix Suns, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2018 NBA Draft, More Deandre Ayton pages at Sports Reference. "In an ideal world, I actually want even more," Suns head coach Monty Williams said postgame on Ayton. He was just talking about his ability is have to be patient so that he knows what theyre doing and he can react and that is a great value for us, Williams said. Have opinion about current state of theSuns? Gobert then recovers back to Joki once Conley returns to Murray, thus pulling off the "hedge and recover.". And its getting ugly. following a play where Ayton didn't get back on transition defense. Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne come to mind first, but Damion Lee, T.J. Warren or Terrence Ross may get a shot, too. Game 1 between Denver and Phoenix will tip Saturday at 6:30 p.m. MT and air on TNT. Instagram: Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin atdmrankin@gannett.comor contact him at 480-787-1240. Where was DeAndre Jordan born? Void in ONT. pic.twitter.com/bVuHPGrlo3. You have to be physical but not too physical, finesse but not exploitable. Whether Ayton likes it or not, the Suns need his motor to be running hotter from here on out. Joki should be a very familiar assignment for Deandre Ayton. Its only 7 games into the new season. As such, there are moments when the Suns appear out of sync. He scored 46 versus the Suns in the 2018-19 season and averaged 28.3 in four games against them in 2019-20 season. Ayton's averaging 16 points on 53 percent from the field to go with 11.8 rebounds in the postseason. Deandre Ayton has a defensive rating of 111.0 this season. Eligibility restrictions apply. The Suns and Nuggets faced off four times in the regular season, splitting the series 2-2. Deandre Ayton Nikola JokiKevin Durant Aaron GordonTorrey Craig Michael Porter Jr. Chris Paul Kentavious Caldwell-PopeDevin Booker Jamal Murray. Its a fast paced game these days. 1 overall pick, who . Ayton uses his size and strength to box out Rudy, and even though Deandre isnt the one who is credited for the rebound, the team obtains possession. LOS ANGELES Deandre Ayton has been the MVP of the Western Conference Finals. The league average for pace-of-play is 101.3 possessions-per-48-minutes. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). We may yearn for Domin-Ayton on the offensive end, slamming the ball through the cylinder with authority and ferocity, our Twitter notifications going wild as we celebrate the offensive greatness that is DA. What? StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. Its too early to say with any confidence that Ayton isnt performing up to his previous efforts on defense. The fact that Ayton isn't some "nobody" rotational Center but instead a former #1 pick who stands 7'1 250 and averages a double double for his career is going to bring a ton of scrutiny and slander HIS WAY. Interpreted as: Deandre Ayton defense rating this regular season StatMuse has season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season. In other words, they'll need Ayton to play like a . Ayton, the No. Phoenix, on the other hand, has ranked just 11th in rebounding in the playoffs. Defense and Rebounding. Mike Conley gets nailed by Joki's screen, so Gobert "hedges" out to Murray to stop his dribble. My name is Dominayton. I anchor the Phoenix Suns on both ends the floor. 1 overall of the 2018 NBA Draft, shot 8-of-12 from the field and was a team-best +20 in his 34 minutes. After defending Anthony Edwards in Round 1, KCP will get another crack at an explosive scorer at the shooting guard position. Toutefois, Jokic a semble-t-il trouv comment grer ce match-up , en atteste son match susmentionn : 41pts, 15rbds, 15asts. Jamal Murray led the show for the Mile High squad against Minnesota and averaged 27.4 points on 47.1 percent from the field and 44.2 percent from three-point range. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). More: Suns-Nuggets: Nikola Jokic needs NBA title to take spot alongside MVPs like LeBron, Jordan. He consistently holds opponents to well below their normal field goal percentage (he's one of the best big men in the league by this measure). But Im of the mind that effectively guarding shots close to the rim is probably the most valuable defensive contribution any NBA center can provide, even if they are capable of playing a larger role too. Deandre's commitment to being an anchor on defense has been a primary contributing factor to the Suns' success early on this year. He has a total of 15 Badges. The Clippers did this numerous times in the first round whenever Ayton set a ball screen for Durant or Booker. Hard call. They're also 5th in points allowed at 105 PPG and 6th in defensive rating at 109.6. Just crash a little bit more, said Ayton, as he has a total of 12 offensive rebounds in the latter three games after not accounting for one offensive board in Game 1. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Maybe. The end result is a missed three-pointer and a rebound for DA. Players often gain reputations as good or bad defenders based mainly on reputation around the league or the always-reliable eye test.. Gambling Problem? His offensive and defensive ratings are also the highest of his career according to Basketball-Reference. Its opening everything else for everybody else.. Ayton currently ranks 12th in the NBA in total rebounding with 10.7 per game. All statistics courtesy of NBA Stats or Cleaning the Glass unless stated otherwise. NBA Power Rankings: Here's where every team stands heading in to . 2021 Western Conference semifinals (Suns won in four). He went 7-for-11 from the field. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said he expected his team to win the minutes that Joki sat heading into the series, but Malone's unexpected small-ball adjustment completely changed things. All #1 picks who have 0x all star: Deandre Ayton, Markelle Fultz, Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden, Andrea Bargnani, Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi, Joe Smith (until 1990 , btw didnt include Ant and Cade for obvious reasons) Gambling Problem? Apr 27, 2023, 8:15 AM. Nikola Joki Deandre Ayton Aaron Gordon . Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. The team is currently 1st in the NBA opponents-points-per-game (100.8), 4th in defensive rating (104.4), and 8th in opponent-eFG% (.513). One of Aytons strengths as a defender relative to many other bigs around the NBA is his mobility, which allows him to defend players on the perimeter that celebrated elite defensive centers like Rudy Gobert simply wouldnt dare to guard more than ten feet from the rim. He was the #1 pick in the 2018 draft. 1998 Being that anchor and aggressor. He recorded a 105 defensive rating on the year, and he does a solid job of protecting the rim. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. The Tremendous Jimmy Butler. home/away, monthly, etc More Deandre Ayton Basketball Reference pages, 2022-23 Suns Personal fouls: Suns 21.2 (10th), Nuggets 23.0 (15th). The relationship between Ayton and the Suns has reportedly soured . The national motto for the Bahamas is "Forward Upward Onward Together," which is defined as moving in "the direction and manner in which the Bahamian nation should move.". Ayton later addressed the notion he lacks a motor, as his critics have come out in high volume on his play in the series. Luka Doncic uses a high screen set by Willie Cauley-Stein in an effort to switch out of the pesky defense of Bridges. More NBA:Player projectionsOur 2022-23 NBA predictionsBuild your own team. But Malone's job goes beyond just dictating defensive coverages. All rights reserved. I hit my middies so theyre pressing up. Just give them the space and they got it. The Suns' transition attack has been downright spooky, ranked first out of all sixteen playoff teams. Denver has kicked things into high gear in the postseason and ranks fifth in defensive rating after finishing just 17th during the regular season. But that's the best-case scenario. Ayton is actively learning the offensive sets that opposing teams are running. Defensive awareness needs to improve. He recently said that he anchors Phoenix on both offense and defense. The goal was to get the ball out of Durant and Booker's hands even if that meant conceding three-pointers to Craig and Okogie. Some other defensive-oriented data on Ayton appear to corroborate at least slight underperformance relative to last season. More: 'Going to be fun': Deandre Ayton looking forward to matchup with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic Altitude, minutes and Suns bench: Durant and Booker averaged 44 and 43.2 minutes in the Clippers. When you think of pick and roll, you think of Steven Adams and Zion Williamson, dont you? Psst. 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. Currently, they're on the heels of a convincing 4-1 defeat over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. Which team has the most wins as home dogs since 2015-16? To have a center who loves to play defense and is excited to learn how to better that skillset isnt something youll find on many Twitter highlights or postgame shows. Yet despite its occasional clunkiness, the Suns are scoring the second-most halfcourt points per 100 possessions in the postseason, a reflection of the baseline level of absurd offensive talent on the roster. Players eligible for leaderboards are those who have played in at least 70 percent of their teams games and average at least 24 minutes per game (including stats from the regular season and playoffs). Follow him on Twitter at@DuaneRankin. He's a fantastic spot-up option, as well, but there are more ways to utilize Durant within an offense. Yet time and again, although he has proven to be an efficient scorer (currently 58% FG%), his finesse approach to his offensive game does not satisfy the masses. He thought he could back him out of the paint, use his quickness, and accelerate past the big man. A daily roundup of Phoenix Suns news from Bright Side of the Sun, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Monty and the Suns need to realize that Shamet aint it. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Due to the constant uploading of spectacular slams, awesome oops, and thundering threes, fans have been conditioned to expect those highlights from their favorite players. There is an expectation that the 2018 #1 overall draft pick should be creating plays worthy of being printed on posters. The team may be undersized at times but they still are tenacious on the glass. Game Recap: Suns eclipsed by hot Nuggets, fall 125-107. You have to possess the ability to make quick decisions in transition. Doing anything to get a rebound and thats the type of player I am. They outscored the Timberwolves by 18.4 points per 100 possessions with these lineups, good for the 98th percentile. He could be frustrated, but he wasnt. Late in the season, Denver busted out a small-ball lineup against the Golden State Warriors that eventually led to one of the most exciting victories of the season. pic.twitter.com/x17aJC3fOI, HTB (@HenryTheBlasian) April 30, 2023, All out effort from Ayton in this play. The 6'11" center stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. The Portland Trail Blazers aren't serious contenders for Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton but may be eyeing Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort in a draft-pick trade. He has a long way to go. Nikola Joki Deandre AytonAaron Gordon Kevin DurantMichael Porter Jr. Torrey CraigKentavious Caldwell-Pope Devin BookerJamal Murray Chris Paul. What is exciting is his growth. Deandre Ayton averages 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Status: Restricted free agent.Position: Center.Last team: Phoenix Suns.2021-22 stats: 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds. The "short roll" is when a player screens and then receives a pass halfway to the basket. . Ayton was initially drafted by the Suns with the #1 overall pick as an old-school post-up big man. Clutch win%: Suns 66.7% (2-1, 6th), Nuggets 75% (3-1, 5th). But there are some metrics we can look to as guidessome fairly objective and others a bit more subjective, but frequently accepted as evidence in association with other data. Find detailed Deandre Ayton Defense Stats on FOXSports.com. Lineups Have no fear, Mikal, as DA is there. How the Suns lost Game 1, and what that means for the rest of the series, The odds are now well against the Phoenix Suns in this series, though a few tweaks and better effort could make a world of difference, Suns drop to 3rd best title odds as Warriors advance to second round. Teams use switches constantly to create favorable mismatches for their offense. Phoenix's timing can also be off, resulting in flailing turnovers. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/yi4627io3C, Sweet Lettuce (@Sw33tL3ttuc3) April 30, 2023, DeAndre Ayton gives up on basketball pic.twitter.com/CpR4mzr3cC, Trade Deandre ayton this offseason, im done defending him pic.twitter.com/vQcP0gTbbX, Deandre Ayton keeps this up and Suns gettng swept, horrible effort. Needlessly standing there, hands at his sides, completely uninvolved in the offense. There are times when Ayton struggles within his new rolea role that's narrow but requires him to excel at the finer details of the game. The more he focuses on excelling, the better he will be. This season, Deandre Ayton has helped propel the Suns to one of the best defenses in the league, making Phoenix management wish they'd handed him a max contract over the summer. In short, there's very little to glean from the season series. The Clippers used Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie's defenders to double-team Devin Booker and Kevin Durant throughout the first round, especially at the end of games. The likes of Luka, Jamal Murray, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Zion have all switched into Ayton at some point this year. The Suns got zilch from their bench when the game was a game, didn't match Denver's physicality and . You get to push guys around and you get to jump over people. They stress defense and scoring in transition. We wrote about those small-ball, switch-heavy lineups in the week leading up to the playoffs. Deandre Ayton 7'1" big 24.7 years old Profile Positions On/Off Stats Game Logs Lineups Trends Team Efficiency and Four Factors The rest of this page is for subscribers only. Your default site has been set for 7 days, Deandre Ayton's evolution steals spotlight in Suns statement win in Miami, career-high offensive rating and defensive rating. Booker is quick and strong, but he'll need to be at the top of his defensive game to keep pace with Denver's electric point guard. He isn't DPOY-level, but he's a very good defender. Its not all glitz and glamour, defensive dominance and swatted leather. That, in large part, is due to Chris Paul coming into town, who primarily operates within the screen-and-dive game. How do we answer back?" Yes, small sample size, but it is something to continue to monitor as the year progresses. 8. But it may be evidence Ayton is peaking, which if true is something worth thinking about. Deandre Ayton FOLLOW PPG 18.0 RPG 10.0 APG 1.7 PIE 14.5 HEIGHT 7'0" (2.13m) WEIGHT 250lb (113kg) COUNTRY Bahamas LAST ATTENDED Arizona AGE 24 years BIRTHDATE July 23, 1998 DRAFT 2018 R1 Pick 1. If you have your Bleacher Report notifications set to on, you will receive numerous micro-updates of the plays that awe and amaze nightly. Trade value on the open market is 20.83 which ranks him 15th among center's and 57th overall. 2022-2023 Game Log Please enter a valid email and try again. Advantage. Design and development by Ryan Best, Jay Boice and Ella Koeze. He can guard multiple positions due to his lateral quickness and length. Willie stays high on this play, creating an iso-situation between Ayton and Luka. That's a pretty sizable discrepancy, one that Denver should absolutely look to take advantage of in the second round. He went 7-for-11 from the field. When was DeAndre Jordan born? It was an unnecessary switch. This victory, in the first contest of a four-game road trip, helps the Suns win their third in a row after a couple of bumps in the road since the All-Star break with home losses to the Indiana Pacers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Ayton securing the. DEN I believe the stat is pick and rolls defended by Mikal and Ayton yielded just .71 PPP so far this season. That's not a ton of dress rehearsal for the revamped Suns, who now head into battle against a Denver team with years of continuity. Not bad, to be clear, but it feels like there's another level for him on this iteration of the Phoenix Suns.