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Lakers center Deandre Ayton bounced across the court after practice Monday wearing all black, his chains swaying, his mood jovial as he approached the media to talk about his role in the Western Conference semifinals.
His spirits were high for what lies ahead for the Lakers as they prepared to face the best team in the NBA, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Lakers coach JJ Redick said the play of his center “changes our ceiling the most.”
Simply put, Ayton’s high-level of play will be paramount for the Lakers when they begin the best-of-seven series Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.
Read more: How the Lakers and Thunder match up entering their playoff series
“Everything has been pretty solid, just staying in my role and just doing more in my role,” Ayton said. “This is the playoffs, so everybody can do more, everybody has another level. And this is the second round coming in, so I think we all deserve that little bit of increase of confidence from what we’ve done so far and the outcome from the adversity we’ve faced.
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“I feel like that’s where we are right now and I think that’s what’s motivating me, as well, coming into these games. Just seeing, listening and being dialed in and seeing the results of it.”
There were times Ayton was a force against the Houston Rockets in the first round. He had double figures in rebounds in four of the six games and had three double-doubles in the series. He averaged 11.8 points and his 10.8 rebounds are third-best in the postseason.
“DA’s had a great season,” Redick said. “He was instrumental in us getting past Houston. I think his baseline of who he is every day for the last two, two-and-a-half months has been awesome. And I know his teammates, certainly the staff, we’ve all embraced him all season long. Again, he’s the person that changes our ceiling the most.”
Both Ayton and Marcus Smart came to the Lakers last summer, giving them a much-needed center and a defensive-minded guard. Smart said he didn’t know Ayton before they became teammates, but the two of them have bonded.
Lakers teammates Marcus Smart, left, and Deandre…
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Publish date : 2026-05-04 23:25:00
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