EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — This, strangely enough, is what Deandre Ayton said he wanted. Occasionally, Ayton’s media sessions veer in and out of the uncomfortable. But Monday, shortly before Ayton got on the plane with his teammates to fly to Oklahoma City, he stood behind the microphones, the eyes and cameras all focused on him.
After missing the playoffs his first two years in the NBA, the former No. 1 pick played 45 playoff games over the next three postseasons. Former Cavaliers center Brad Daugherty played in just 41 playoff games in his career. Ralph Sampson experienced only 38, and Yao Ming just 28. The trips to the playoffs, even for former No. 1 picks, are precious and aren’t guaranteed — but in real time, for a player like Ayton, it can feel that way.
Two years in Portland severely altered that perspective, with 57 wins over two injury-filled seasons making Ayton feel invisible.
“Disappeared,” he said of the playoff absences.
But with another series set to begin on Tuesday against the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, the player Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick says is the key to the Lakers being their best is grateful to be looked at again.
“The fans and the media, you know, just everything around it,” he said Monday when asked what he’d missed most about the playoffs. “Just that whole atmosphere and just being in that. Having that attention on you again and everybody watching every little detail. Every little possession, every little thing is so important and, there’s so many things that can change with the game. And I just love it. You know, this attention to detail and just being consistent — it’s true professionalism.
“This is where people make their names, and this is where people get to see you play for real. … It’s a big stage, and I’m truly happy to be back.”
Ayton averaged 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in 31 minutes per game in the Lakers’ first-round series, mostly out-playing Rockets center Alperen Şengün. Nikola Jokić, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jayson Tatum and Şengün were the only other players to average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in the first round.
“DA’s had a great season. He was instrumental in us getting past Houston,” Redick said. “I think his … his, like, baseline of who he is every day for the last two, two and a half months has been awesome. And I know his teammates, certainly the staff, we’ve all embraced him all season long. Again, he’s the person that changes our ceiling the most.”
The task is even tougher against the Thunder. Chet Holmgren is the kind of rim protector who can disrupt Ayton’s finesse game at the basket. And Isaiah Hartenstein’s strength forces a game-long physical commitment. But again, this is what Ayton wanted.
As much as anyone else, Marcus Smart understands. The two have been linked together all season as offseason acquisitions the Lakers secured following buyouts from their former teams. Smart, more than anyone, openly pined for a return to meaningful basketball. Doing the little things always matters, but people mostly wait until there are real stakes to notice.
Both Smart and Ayton have player options on relatively cheap contracts for next season (Ayton at $8.1 million, Smart at $5.3 million). Both have limited markets in the sense that veteran players generally appeal only to teams looking to win now. But both showed they could tip a playoff series in the first round, a valuable negotiating tool as they eventually deal with big decisions this offseason.
“We’re both trying to get our names back into the good graces of the basketball gods and just show what we still can do,” Smart said.
LeBron James, James Harden and Paul George are the only players still alive this postseason with more playoff experience than Smart. Minnesota’s Mike Conley, like Smart, enters the second round having played in 114 playoff games. Smart, like Ayton, missed the playoffs the previous two years.
Smart had 16 steals in the first round, tying for the league lead with Ausar Thompson, who accomplished it over seven games against the Orlando Magic. He also made 13 3s in the first round, more than Jamal Murray, CJ McCollum and Luke Kennard.
In the first round, the two showed they could help a team win a series. Now, they’ll have to find ways to help the Lakers “win” in a more consequential way.
For Smart, it’ll mean heavy minutes on the NBA’s reigning regular-season and finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“He does a really good job of getting to the free-throw line. He’s mastered it,” Smart said. “So, it’s going to be a challenge for me, not just me but everybody on this team to stay out of foul trouble, to keep him off the line as much as possible and just continue to show your hands. It’s tough, but it can be done, it’s just going to take a lot of effort from everybody, and we gotta stay together.”
The key, as much as there is one, Smart said, is to try and limit one or two of the multitude of the things Gilgeous-Alexander can do.
And when the Thunder score anyway, they have to be ready for it to come in quick bunches.
“They’re really good at runs. And part of that is how good their defense is, their ability to create turnovers. The live-ball turnovers really kill you. And they don’t get out in transition a ton, but when they do, they’re the best in the NBA in terms of (points per possession). … I’ve got to be more diligent than I normally am. I like my timeouts, I like going into the fourth quarter with four timeouts, I like having two in the last 30 seconds. I don’t think you have the luxury of like worrying about that because the games get away from you so quick because of how explosive they are when they go on their runs.
“And they do that to everybody. They did it in first round. They did it to us in the regular season. Even in their losses, they had, on average, an 8.3 scoring run, even in their losses. So it’s what they do. So mitigating the 12- to 15-point runs, I think is really important.”
And they have to do it in one of the best environments in the league in Oklahoma City.
“You can’t hear yourself. It’s definitely the “Thunder” for a reason,” Ayton said. “Their fans are thunderous. You know, you can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can’t even hear a play call. And you gotta be super dialed in.”
If all of this sounds hard, it’s because it is. But that was always the appeal to Smart and Ayton with the Lakers, a place where the spotlight is as big as the expectations, one where it’s too difficult to disappear.
“This is the playoffs, so everybody can do more, everybody has another level,” Ayton said.
And whether the Lakers are able to do it or not, Smart and Ayton are grateful that people will again be playing attention.
Leave a Reply