Deandre Ayton finally got got against a Darren Collison ankle-breaker
Nov 28, 2018, 8:36 AM
PHOENIX — Deandre Ayton has things to work on. Sticking with perimeter players hasn’t been one of them.
That was pretty true until the Phoenix Suns rookie met Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison on Tuesday night. Midway through the first quarter, Ayton retreated toward the hoop as Collison used a Myles Turner pick-and-roll to shed Phoenix’s Devin Booker.
It looked like Ayton would contain Collison, but a mundane yet precise crossover ended with Ayton taking a major tumble.
Freeze-frame it, and it actually looks like Ayton tweaked his ankle.
Darren Collison showcases his handles in Phoenix! #Pacers pic.twitter.com/alO0X9eTRZ
— NBA (@NBA) November 28, 2018
The big man was fine — at least physically. He finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and a block in a 109-104 loss at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
After the game, as reporters approached Ayton’s locker for interviews, the big man shook his head.
“Collison got me,” he said.
So far this year, Ayton has excelled defending smaller ball-handlers.
On Friday with Phoenix all tied up with the Milwaukee Bucks and 20 seconds to play, the rookie No. 1 overall pick found himself on an island against Giannis Antetokounmpo. He kept his hands out of the way, stayed in front of one of the NBA’s best slashers, and forced a turnover, setting up a game-winner from Jamal Crawford on the other end.
Suns' Deandre Ayton with some solid clutch defense on Giannis pic.twitter.com/phvjLsSH0M
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) November 24, 2018
Early in the season, he forced a couple of misses by a driving LeBron James when the Suns hosted the Los Angeles Lakers.
What a sequence for Ayton, who stayed in front of LeBron and forced a long 3 and then found a wide-open Ariza for a #Suns 3. pic.twitter.com/EE9AiARBgE
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) October 25, 2018
Ayton has put together similar strong defensive stances at a pace of at least once per game.
Of course, nobody’s perfect. Finally, 20 games into the year, he ended up on the wrong end of things and on the wrong side of the highlight reel.
