Suns’ Deandre Ayton in walking boot, likely out Friday due to ankle injury
Mar 4, 2020, 4:30 PM | Updated: 4:39 pm
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton falls after getting injured during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Phoenix. The Raptors won 123-114. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton left Tuesday night’s 123-114 loss to the Toronto Raptors after suffering a left ankle injury and did not return.
Deandre Ayton went down with a foot injury.
He was escorted to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/YDRML942tk
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) March 4, 2020
Ayton was receiving a pass down low from Ricky Rubio when he went down with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter.
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The former No. 1 pick tried to turn for a shot attempt, but Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby seemed to get caught on Ayton’s left leg, causing the Suns center to injure his left ankle. Ayton would walk to the locker room under his own power with a noticeable limp and did not return.
The second-year big had X-rays and was using crutches to move about the locker room after the game.
On Wednesday, Suns head coach Monty Williams said Ayton had an MRI that morning and the team was awaiting results. He also added it was unlikely Ayton would play on Friday for Phoenix’s home game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“He didn’t do anything,” Williams said of Ayton’s participation in practice. “We’ll find out more once we get an official word. Right now, he’ll just be in a walking boot until we find out more.”
This isn’t the first time Ayton has injured his ankle this year.
“The ankle feels the same, like all the other ones,” Ayton said Tuesday. “It’s the same one. I’m just used to it now.”
Ayton has already missed time this season, once when he had a 25-game suspension for testing positive for a diuretic and again when he injured his ankle in his first game back from that suspension. Thus, he only played two of Phoenix’s first 32 games this year.
Since then, the second-year 21-year-old has averaged 19.1 points and 12.0 rebounds with 1.9 assists and 1.6 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game. He has shot 54.9% from the field.
Aron Baynes and Dario Saric often played up front for the Suns while Ayton was out. The Suns may be forced to go back to that pairing if their No. 1 pick from 2018 misses more time.
