Three things to watch:
1. Here in his third season, Suns center Deandre Ayton enjoyed a breakout of sorts when he pieced together some solid playoff stretches where at times he was the most impactful player on the floor and even dominated some games. That’s a credit to his hard work and willingness to meet the challenge. But speaking of challenge, he played against a poor defensive center in Andre Drummond and then saw a limited one in Ivica Zubac. Basically, Ayton hasn’t really been pushed on either end. Well, that will change a bit with Brook Lopez, a clever defender with shot-blocking ability who can also shoot the 3, and Bobby Portis, who brings a motor. And if Ayton becomes a problem for the Bucks, they’ll toss in some Giannis Antetokounmpo. Let’s see how Ayton does against a higher grade of big man.