Ayton, Suns fall as Lakers win game two

Thu, May 27th 2021, 08:43 AM

Bahamian professional basketball player DeAndre Ayton posted 22 points and a team-high 10 boards on Tuesday night but it wasn’t enough as the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers took down the Phoenix Suns, 109-102, in the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs at the Phoenix Suns Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Lakers tied the Western Conference first-round series at 1-1, after the Suns took the first game on Sunday.
Playing in just his second playoff game, Ayton was busy once again, going up against a tough Lakers frontcourt. He had his second consecutive efficient night from the field, shooting 11-for-13 from the field in a team-high 42 minutes of play. He now has back-to-back double-doubles in two career playoff games.
Ayton had a slow start with just two rebounds in the first half, but he picked up his activity on the glass in the third quarter. He pulled in six rebounds in the third – all on the defensive side. Ayton spoke to reporters afterward about his eight-rebound second-half turnaround.
“… [J]ust put my head down and if they call the foul, they call the foul – still attack on the glass and that’s what I’m known for. That’s what I’m good at, that’s my advantage. I just put my head down and just competed on the glass – try not to get complacent. I just try to keep my energy throughout the whole game up. Rebounds are a big part of it, just crashing the glass … feeling the physicality – just staying within the game,” Ayton said.
The Lakers outrebounded the Suns, 39-31, in the game.
Ayton scored eight of his 22 points in the second half, going 4-for-6 from the field.
The Lakers led by as much as 12 points late in the first quarter, 24-16, with 1:55 remaining. Ayton and the Suns closed that gap to six points as the quarter ended 30-24 in favor of the visitors.
In the second quarter, the Lakers controlled the tempo of the game, but the game was still within reach for the Suns.

The Lakers tied the Western Conference first-round series at 1-1, after the Suns took the first game on Sunday.

Playing in just his second playoff game, Ayton was busy once again, going up against a tough Lakers frontcourt. He had his second consecutive efficient night from the field, shooting 11-for-13 from the field in a team-high 42 minutes of play. He now has back-to-back double-doubles in two career playoff games.

Ayton had a slow start with just two rebounds in the first half, but he picked up his activity on the glass in the third quarter. He pulled in six rebounds in the third – all on the defensive side. Ayton spoke to reporters afterward about his eight-rebound second-half turnaround.

“… [J]ust put my head down and if they call the foul, they call the foul – still attack on the glass and that’s what I’m known for. That’s what I’m good at, that’s my advantage. I just put my head down and just competed on the glass – try not to get complacent. I just try to keep my energy throughout the whole game up. Rebounds are a big part of it, just crashing the glass … feeling the physicality – just staying within the game,” Ayton said.

The Lakers outrebounded the Suns, 39-31, in the game.

Ayton scored eight of his 22 points in the second half, going 4-for-6 from the field.

The Lakers led by as much as 12 points late in the first quarter, 24-16, with 1:55 remaining. Ayton and the Suns closed that gap to six points as the quarter ended 30-24 in favor of the visitors.

In the second quarter, the Lakers controlled the tempo of the game, but the game was still within reach for the Suns.

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