Suns’ Deandre Ayton exits game with leg contusion in win over Cavs
Oct 30, 2021, 9:32 PM | Updated: 10:18 pm
Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns is introduced before the NBA game at Footprint Center on October 20, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton checked out of Saturday’s home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the third quarter and never came back in.
He suffered a right leg contusion which sidelined him for the final 16 minutes, the Suns announced.
He came up limping after a Devin Booker three pointer that led to a Cleveland timeout, although it is unclear when exactly he got hurt.
Went back to when Deandre Ayton was last in and this looks like where he got hurt? Limped to the huddle after pic.twitter.com/pmTaeaEp5f
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 31, 2021
Head coach Monty Williams confirmed that Ayton had a contusion during his postgame press conference.
“One of those deals where you get hit and it lingers for a minute,” Williams told reporters. “We think he’s going to be okay.”
Ayton later said he banged knees with someone else during the game.
Ayton left the game with 17 points on 10 shots plus 12 rebounds, his second-straight double-double. He also had three steals.
The Suns were able to finish off the Cavs without Ayton, although not as convincingly. Ayton left with the Suns up 78-54, and Phoenix won 101-92.
Phoenix trailed by 14 points early before building a commanding lead. Guard Devin Booker led the team with 27 points on his birthday.
Ayton will have a couple of days before the Suns take the floor against the New Orleans Pelicans in Phoenix Tuesday.
