Deandre Ayton on Suns struggles: Teams we see on film aren't the teams we play... teams play harder against us
âMainly just communicating,â Deandre Ayton told The Athletic. âTeams are using smaller guys at different positions, and theyâre putting the ball on the ground, making our defense move and getting in the paint. When I go, thereâs another big dude rebounding the ball and just crashing the glass and finishing in the paint. And weâre doing a lot of fouling. Playing a lot of defense and itâs putting pressure on our offense. Itâs kind of hard to get into a rhythm on offense because we play so much defense and weâre fouling. All that stuff is deflating, man, and mental as hell. âWe could say a lot. But really man, we just gotta approach these games knowing that teams are coming to knock our head off our body, bro. Defensive-wise, I just think we need to communicate more and play hard. We just gotta be more connected. The teams we see on film arenât the teams we play â theyâre playing harder and with a chip on their shoulder against us.âSource: Kelly Iko @ The Athletic Whatâs the buzz on Twitter? Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin Cameron Payne (foot) and Deandre Ayton (ankle) didnât practice, but #Suns just got up shots. Devin Booker (hamstring) got up shots. â 5:25 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet I see people got ahold of that Deandre Ayton quote without actually reading the (well-reported) story itself. People want athletes to answer honestly, but when they do, this is what you get â 3:59 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet I know people hate player rankings, but this is a really fun and in-depth project from The Ringer: Devin Booker at No. 11 Mikal Bridges at No. 44 Chris Paul at No. 50 Deandre Ayton at No. 56 Cam Johnson at No. 92 nbarankings.theringer.com â 12:28 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin UPDATED: Phoenix #Suns lose Deandre Ayton, Cameron Payne in fifth straight loss, falling at Houston #Rockets azcentral.com/story/sports/n⊠via @azcentral â 8:31 AM StatMuse @statmuse Suns since Kanye tweet: â 1-6 record â Book injured â Ayton injured â Payne injured â CP3 36 FG% and 3.5 TOV Kardashian curse? pic.twitter.com/AGNCW6DJZ0 â 8:31 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin âThey came in our paint. When I go, another big dude is rebounding, crashing the glass and finishing in the paint. Doing a lot of fouling. Itâs hard for us to get in our rhythm on offense because weâre playing so much defense. All that stuff is deflating.â Deandre Ayton #Suns â 1:11 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin Phoenix #Suns lose Deandre Ayton (ankle), Cameron Payne (foot) in fifth straight loss, falling 111-97 at Houston #Rockets azcentral.com/story/sports/n⊠via @azcentral â 11:08 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin Deandre Ayton (ankle) said he looks to return Thursday for #Sunsâ#Clippers game in Los Angeles. â 11:02 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin Deandre Ayton (hamstring) said he looks to return for Thursdayâs game. #Suns â 10:58 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin #Suns starters are a combined 14-of-62 from the field. Bridges 3-of-22 (1-of-8 on 3s) Craig 1-of-6 (1-of-3 on 3s) Ayton 2-of-10 (0-of-1 on 3s) Shamet 4-of-11 (2-of-9 on 3s) Paul 4-of-13 (2-of-8 on 3s). â 10:14 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen Rockets 84, Suns 67 after 3. Green with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists. Chris Paul leads the Suns with 14. With Booker out, and Payne and Ayton going out, Bridges is 1 of 18. Suns shooting 28 percent. Other than CP3, they are 17 of 64. â 9:51 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin Deandre Ayton, Cameron Payne out rest of #Sunsâ#Rockets game with injuries azcentral.com/story/sports/n⊠via @azcentral â 9:49 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine The Suns say Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) both will not return tonight. â 9:27 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen Suns report Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) both will not return. â 9:27 PM Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler From the Suns: Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) both will not return. â 9:27 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet Suns say Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cam Payne (right foot) both will not return to tonightâs game â 9:26 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cam Payne (right foot) both wonât return tonight, per Suns â 9:25 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson No Ayton to start the second half. â 9:23 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen Second half starting with no sign of Deandre Ayton. Biyombo starting the half. â 9:21 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin Neither Ayton or Payne back out on the floor. Waiting on official injury report. #Suns #Rockets â 9:21 PM Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane No sign of Deandre Ayton as the Suns return to the floor for the second half. He was shaken up on the play with Porter that the Rockets challenged â 9:19 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet The Suns just shot 22% from the floor and 17% from 3 in an entire half
Source: Kelly Iko @ The Athletic
Whatâs the buzz on Twitter?
Cameron Payne (foot) and Deandre Ayton (ankle) didnât practice, but #Suns just got up shots.
Devin Booker (hamstring) got up shots. â 5:25 PM
I see people got ahold of that Deandre Ayton quote without actually reading the (well-reported) story itself. People want athletes to answer honestly, but when they do, this is what you get â 3:59 PM
I know people hate player rankings, but this is a really fun and in-depth project from The Ringer:
Devin Booker at No. 11
Mikal Bridges at No. 44
Chris Paul at No. 50
Deandre Ayton at No. 56
Cam Johnson at No. 92
nbarankings.theringer.com â 12:28 PM
UPDATED: Phoenix #Suns lose Deandre Ayton, Cameron Payne in fifth straight loss, falling at Houston #Rockets azcentral.com/story/sports/n⊠via @azcentral â 8:31 AM
Suns since Kanye tweet:
â 1-6 record
â Book injured
â Ayton injured
â Payne injured
â CP3 36 FG% and 3.5 TOV
Kardashian curse? pic.twitter.com/AGNCW6DJZ0 â 8:31 AM
âThey came in our paint. When I go, another big dude is rebounding, crashing the glass and finishing in the paint. Doing a lot of fouling. Itâs hard for us to get in our rhythm on offense because weâre playing so much defense. All that stuff is deflating.â Deandre Ayton #Suns â 1:11 AM
Phoenix #Suns lose Deandre Ayton (ankle), Cameron Payne (foot) in fifth straight loss, falling 111-97 at Houston #Rockets azcentral.com/story/sports/n⊠via @azcentral â 11:08 PM
Deandre Ayton (ankle) said he looks to return Thursday for #Sunsâ#Clippers game in Los Angeles. â 11:02 PM
Deandre Ayton (hamstring) said he looks to return for Thursdayâs game. #Suns â 10:58 PM
#Suns starters are a combined 14-of-62 from the field.
Bridges 3-of-22 (1-of-8 on 3s)
Craig 1-of-6 (1-of-3 on 3s)
Ayton 2-of-10 (0-of-1 on 3s)
Shamet 4-of-11 (2-of-9 on 3s)
Paul 4-of-13 (2-of-8 on 3s). â 10:14 PM
Rockets 84, Suns 67 after 3. Green with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists. Chris Paul leads the Suns with 14. With Booker out, and Payne and Ayton going out, Bridges is 1 of 18. Suns shooting 28 percent. Other than CP3, they are 17 of 64. â 9:51 PM
Deandre Ayton, Cameron Payne out rest of #Sunsâ#Rockets game with injuries azcentral.com/story/sports/n⊠via @azcentral â 9:49 PM
The Suns say Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) both will not return tonight. â 9:27 PM
Suns report Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) both will not return. â 9:27 PM
From the Suns: Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) both will not return. â 9:27 PM
Suns say Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cam Payne (right foot) both will not return to tonightâs game â 9:26 PM
Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cam Payne (right foot) both wonât return tonight, per Suns â 9:25 PM
Second half starting with no sign of Deandre Ayton. Biyombo starting the half. â 9:21 PM
Neither Ayton or Payne back out on the floor. Waiting on official injury report. #Suns #Rockets â 9:21 PM
No sign of Deandre Ayton as the Suns return to the floor for the second half. He was shaken up on the play with Porter that the Rockets challenged â 9:19 PM
The Suns just shot 22% from the floor and 17% from 3 in an entire half. With Devin Booker out, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton were a combined 3-for-22, and now Ayton may be hurt. Ugly, ugly stuff. â 9:08 PM
Halftime: HOU 54, PHX 35
Payne: 9 Pts, 3-4 3P
Paul: 6 Pts, 4 Ast
Ayton: 5 Pts, 3 Reb, 2-10 FG
Bridges: 4 Pts, 1-12 FG
Green: 16 Pts, 5-9 FG â 9:07 PM
Broadcast just showed Deandre Ayton limping to the locker room after tweaking his ankle. Itâs gone from bad to worse to downright ugly â 9:07 PM
Ayton limping back to locker room.
So now he and Payne are out.
Just FYI, Duane Washington Jr. didnât make trip with hip.
#Suns down 19 at the half. â 9:07 PM
Ayton tweaked his left ankle. He is out for Biyombo and on the bench. (Sorry everyone) â 9:06 PM
Ayton stays out.
In meantime, Ayton picks up offensive foul as #Rockets challenge was deemed successful. #Suns â 9:05 PM
And now Deandre Ayton got up gingerly. Just a brutal night/week of Suns basketball â 9:04 PM
Silas is challenging what would be Porterâs third foul and give Ayton two free throws. Ayton was slow to get up and is walking slowly back to the bench â 9:02 PM
KPJ shaken up trying to draw a charge on Deandre Ayton. Took a hard right knee to his thigh. Rockets time out to challenge the call. â 9:02 PM
Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton are a combined 2-for-18 and the Suns are down by 17 to the Rockets.
I donât wanna talk or hear about who the real No. 2 guy is on this team for awhile â 8:52 PM
End of 1Q: HOU 27, PHX 20
Payne: 6 Pts, 2-2 3P
Ayton: 3 Pts, 1-5 FG
Bridges: 2 Pts, 1-8 FG
Green: 9 Pts, 3 Reb, 3-7 FG â 8:33 PM
Two quick 3s for Cam Payne. Suns could use a lot more of that, given how Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton and Landry Shamet are a combined 3-for-18 to start â 8:29 PM
Much needed back-to-back 3s from Cam Payne for the Suns. Ayton/Bridges/Shamet started a combined 3-for-18 â 8:28 PM
Martin called for goaltending on Ayton shot.
Fouled on shot.
FT. #Suns down seven. â 8:22 PM
Ayton misses 2nd shot.
Green 3.
Shamet misses 3rd shot.
Sengun offensive board, putback.
#Suns down 5-0. â 8:13 PM
Deandre Ayton getting tape work done on fingers during starting lineups. #Suns #Rockets pic.twitter.com/MBWeCKtTlh â 8:10 PM
#Suns starters at #Rockets:
Chris Paul
Mikal Bridges
Landry Shamet
Torrey Craig
Deandre Ayton â 7:35 PM
Rockets starters: Gordon, Smith Jr., Sengun, Green, Porter Jr.
Suns starters: Craig, Bridges, Ayton, Shamet, Paul â 7:33 PM
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