March 27 was a good day for the Phoenix Suns. Not only did the team defeat the Utah Jazz for their second straight win, but star big man Deandre Ayton also made his return to the lineup after missing four games with a hip injury.
In 30 minutes, Ayton put up 14 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5-of-10 from the field. After the game, the former No. 1 overall pick told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic that he felt “good” in his return.
“I felt real good man,” Ayton said. “Obviously, our team has been in motion and doing their thing. I just had to make sure I was prepared so I could fit right in and just run with the offense and run with the flow, let the game come to me.”
The Suns improved to 40-35 after beating the Jazz. They are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Phoenix has seven games left in the regular season, beginning on March 29 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bleacher Report Challenged Deandre Ayton
Ayton got challenged by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey on March 24. Bailey believes Ayton needs to “start executing more moves toward the rim.”
“Getting Kevin Durant back should help, but at some point, Deandre Ayton probably has to start executing more moves toward the rim instead of away from it,” Bailey wrote. “Among the 77 players who’ve averaged at least as many minutes as Ayton over the course of his career, he’s 66th in free-throw attempts per game. All but one player behind him on that list (Nikola Vučević) is a guard or wing.”
Ayton is averaging 18.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season while shooting 58.8% from the floor and 75.7% from the free-throw line. The 24-year-old, who has recorded 34 double-doubles, is eighth in the NBA in rebounds per game and 16th in total rebounds.
Kevin Durant Is Close to Playing
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on March 24 that Kevin Durant could play against the Timberwolves. KD injured his left ankle during pregame warmups on March 8 at the Footprint Center.
Durant is averaging 26.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in three games with the Suns. The two-time Finals MVP and one-time regular-season MVP is shooting 69.0% overall, 53.8% from beyond the arc and 88.2% from the free-throw line. Phoenix is 3-0 with Durant in the lineup.
Suns All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker played well with Durant. The Kentucky product averaged 36.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists alongside Durantula.
“He’s unstoppable,” Booker said about Durant on March 21. “He just understands the game. He’s been doing this his whole entire life at the highest level, and even when you watch him do it, he just seems unfazed and unbothered by any type of situation that he’s thrown in.”
With Booker, Durant, Ayton and Chris Paul leading the way, the Suns could make some serious noise in the 2023 playoffs.
“I mean, I think everybody knows the goal,” Booker said. “We had our Finals experience even when he wasn’t here, and bringing in a champ, a two-time champ, he knows what it takes. We’re gonna follow that lead.”
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Deandre Ayton Issues Statement After Suns Beat Jazz in His Return from Injury