\n<\/p>\n
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. \u2014 This, strangely enough, is what Deandre Ayton said he wanted. Occasionally, Ayton\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019t guaranteed \u2014 but in real time, for a player like Ayton, it can feel that way.<\/p>\n
Two years in Portland severely altered that perspective, with 57 wins over two injury-filled seasons making Ayton feel invisible.<\/p>\n
\u201cDisappeared,\u201d he said of the playoff absences.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fans and the media, you know, just everything around it,\u201d he said Monday when asked what he\u2019d missed most about the playoffs. \u201cJust 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\u2019s so many things that can change with the game. And I just love it. You know, this attention to detail and just being consistent \u2014 it\u2019s true professionalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is where people make their names, and this is where people get to see you play for real. \u2026 It\u2019s a big stage, and I\u2019m truly happy to be back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ayton averaged 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in 31 minutes per game in the Lakers\u2019 first-round series, mostly out-playing Rockets center Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn. Nikola Joki\u0107, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jayson Tatum and \u015eeng\u00fcn were the only other players to average at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in the first round.<\/p>\n
\u201cDA\u2019s had a great season. He was instrumental in us getting past Houston,\u201d Redick said. \u201cI think his \u2026 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\u2019ve all embraced him all season long. Again, he\u2019s the person that changes our ceiling the most.\u201d<\/p>\n
The task is even tougher against the Thunder. Chet Holmgren is the kind of rim protector who can disrupt Ayton\u2019s finesse game at the basket. And Isaiah Hartenstein\u2019s strength forces a game-long physical commitment. But again, this is what Ayton wanted.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re both trying to get our names back into the good graces of the basketball gods and just show what we still can do,\u201d Smart said.<\/p>\n
LeBron James, James Harden and Paul George are the only players still alive this postseason with more playoff experience than Smart. Minnesota\u2019s Mike Conley, like Smart, enters the second round having played in 114 playoff games. Smart, like Ayton, missed the playoffs the previous two years.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In the first round, the two showed they could help a team win a series. Now, they\u2019ll have to find ways to help the Lakers \u201cwin\u201d in a more consequential way.<\/p>\n
For Smart, it\u2019ll mean heavy minutes on the NBA\u2019s reigning regular-season and finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe does a really good job of getting to the free-throw line. He\u2019s mastered it,\u201d Smart said. \u201cSo, it\u2019s 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\u2019s tough, but it can be done, it\u2019s just going to take a lot of effort from everybody, and we gotta stay together.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
And when the Thunder score anyway, they have to be ready for it to come in quick bunches.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re 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\u2019t get out in transition a ton, but when they do, they\u2019re the best in the NBA in terms of (points per possession). \u2026 I\u2019ve 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd 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\u2019s what they do. So mitigating the 12- to 15-point runs, I think is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n
And they have to do it in one of the best environments in the league in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t hear yourself. It\u2019s definitely the \u201cThunder\u201d for a reason,\u201d Ayton said. \u201cTheir fans are thunderous. You know, you can hear the floor shaking, the bleachers, you can\u2019t even hear a play call. And you gotta be super dialed in.\u201d<\/p>\n
If all of this sounds hard, it\u2019s 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\u2019s too difficult to disappear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the playoffs, so everybody can do more, everybody has another level,\u201d Ayton said.<\/p>\n
And whether the Lakers are able to do it or not, Smart and Ayton are grateful that people will again be playing attention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n