The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DEANDRE Ayton’s offensive production slowed for the first time this postseason, but his Phoenix Suns had their most lopsided win en route to taking a 3-2 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA postseason.

Ayton had just eight points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes of the Suns’ 115-85 win over the Lakers Tuesday night at the PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.

It brought an end to his streak of four consecutive double doubles in the series.

Game six is set for Los Angeles tonight (June 3), and a series finale game seven (if necessary) back in Phoenix on Sunday, June 6.

Ayton is averaging 17.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per game while shooting 80 percent from the field.

He is one of just four players in the last 35 years, only players with more than 75 points and more than rebounds through his first four career playoff games. The others include Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing.

“DA has really bought into embracing the whole experience, from exercise, drills to just focusing on the game plan. He’s watching a ton of film on his own, so I just think he’s embracing the experience,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said following the teams practice session Monday.

“To be as young as he is and his first time going through it, I did not expect him to be where he is right now as far as his focus and attention to detail and the level of force that he’s playing with. It’s something that we all value and know when he does it, he’s pretty effective.”

The Suns are one win away from becoming the first team to ever eliminate LeBron James in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.

“I think his focus during the playoffs has been something that doesn’t surprise me — I just didn’t expect him, as young as he is, to be locked in,” Williams said. “And he’s been listening to Chris [Paul], all of our older guys when it comes to the experience, the playoff mentality and everything he’s doing in the weight room. I’ll look over in the weight room and he’s doing something in the weight room that I have never seen him do before, and it’s usually something that Chris has in his programme.”

Suns third year wing Mikal Bridges lauded Ayton’s presence on both ends of the floor.

“DA is playing unbelievably well and just him being aggressive on both ends just helps us out so much. If there’s a post-up or offensive rebound or get it off of a dump down or anything, he’s making money off of it. And then defensively, just helping each other,” he said. “Obviously, it’s tough with Drummond, he’s big, but sometimes not even having to get the rebound and boxing out Drummond helps others get the rebound. And when LeBron and AD, people go to the hole, just him being there, going vertical or even blocking shots, it just wreaks havoc down there and helps us out big time.”