Like ten teams, the Blazers have nothing more to expect from the end of the season, but the medical staff has chosen not to put certain players in the fridge. This is the case of Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson, who were back in the Blazers squad last night, after missing 5 and 8 matches respectively.
If the second contributed 13 points and 4 assists coming off the bench, the first was the MVP of the victory against the Raptors with 30 points and 19 rebounds! Certainly, the Raptors have a decimated racket but it has been a long time since we have seen Ayton as dominant and aggressive. This is simply double his stats for the season.
“We missed him so much” reacted Chauncey Billupswho believes that his pivot is a “game changer”. “His presence on both ends of the pitch is a game changer for us. He took care of the racket. He grabbed all the rebounds. If a ball came into his zone, he caught it. And then, he was able to score. It was simply huge. »
An analysis shared by Darko Rajakovic, who insists on the physical density of the Blazers. “On offense, Portland brought a lot of physicality and as the game progressed we tried to figure out how to play against that physicality” explains the Raptors coach.
For the former Suns pivot, it was essential to mark the occasion, especially since he believes that the team is progressing.
“I was watching the guys play. We are on the right track, we are playing good basketball and we are competitive. I just wanted to make sure I had the legs and could keep up with my team.” he explained about his aggression.
| Deandre Ayton | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | PHX | 71 | 31 | 58.5 | 0.0 | 74.6 | 3.1 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 16.3 |
| 2019-20 | PHX | 38 | 33 | 54.6 | 23.1 | 75.3 | 3.9 | 7.6 | 11.5 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 18.2 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 69 | 31 | 62.6 | 20.0 | 76.9 | 3.3 | 7.2 | 10.5 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 14.5 |
| 2021-22 | PHX | 58 | 30 | 63.4 | 36.8 | 74.6 | 2.6 | 7.7 | 10.2 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 17.2 |
| 2022-23 | PHX | 67 | 30 | 58.9 | 29.2 | 76.0 | 2.6 | 7.4 | 10.0 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 18.0 |
| 2023-24 | POR | 40 | 32 | 57.0 | 0.0 | 82.4 | 3.0 | 7.6 | 10.6 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 14.3 |
| Total | 343 | 31 | 59.4 | 26.3 | 75.9 | 3.0 | 7.4 | 10.4 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 16.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
