The Ayton Plan

[Folster]

Ayton had an elite physical profile coming out of college. He has an athleticism advantage against just about every opponent he takes the court against. For a 7 footer with a 43.5" vertical, you would think he might be tempted to show it off a bit.

43.5" vertical my ass. Maybe on the moon. He's never jumped half that high during a game.

 

[Sunstroke]

Ayton will be gone along with James Jones before the 2024 tip off once
Ishbia evaluates the organization this off season. No doubt in my mind.

 

[AZ Native]

Ayton: NBA success is getting to 2nd contract

Deandre Ayton said Wednesday that "getting to my second contract" would be his definition of NBA success and would likely mean his team was thriving as well.

www.espn.com.au

 

[BirdGangThing]

I'm at a point to where I don't care if Ayton plays or not tonight, even when he plays he doesn't play

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I'm at a point to where I don't care if Ayton plays or not tonight, even when he plays he doesn't play

Yep, totally over him at this point. He's a lost cause.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm at a point to where I don't care if Ayton plays or not tonight, even when he plays he doesn't play

I didn't see where Ayton got injured so I admit to that.

However, in elimination games, I'm used to seeing players play if they can barely walk.

It will be a tough sell for me, if two starters sit in game 6.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I didn't see where Ayton got injured so I admit to that.

However, in elimination games, I'm used to seeing players play if they can barely walk.

It will be a tough sell for me, if two starters sit in game 6.

Right? Ayton continued to play after the "injury" and even practiced the next day. If he doesn't play tonight it'll be by choice

 

[Mainstreet]

Right? Ayton continued to play after the "injury" and even practiced the next day. If he doesn't play tonight it'll be by choice

I don't understand it. I remember Kevin Johnson trying to play with a bad hamstring in the playoffs.

What is the season all about if players don't want to give it 100% when the series is on the line?

I'm missing the twins who were traded, who wanted to play.

 

[Mainstreet]

After the playoffs, I've got some feelings I want to get off my chest in the "Darksiders" thread.

How I want to believe this has a happy ending.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I didn't see where Ayton got injured so I admit to that.

However, in elimination games, I'm used to seeing players play if they can barely walk.

It will be a tough sell for me, if two starters sit in game 6.

In this case I'd give DA the benefit of the doubt. He was clearly hurting after Brown drove to the hoop and I believe flared his elbow out to hit Ayton in the ribs. DA slowly sort of collapsed to the floor and didn't even get back up and re-enter the picture until after the next play. As I recall, Gordon then nailed another 3 and we called timeout, replacing Ayton with Landale. DA never really impacted the game after that.

And then about 3 minutes later Booker finishes out the first quarter by twisting his ankle. I thought at the time that was the 3 or 4 minute stretch that was going to kill us.

 

[Mainstreet]

In this case I'd give DA the benefit of the doubt. He was clearly hurting after Brown drove to the hoop and I believe flared his elbow out to hit Ayton in the ribs. DA slowly sort of collapsed to the floor and didn't even get back up and re-enter the picture until after the next play. As I recall, Gordon then nailed another 3 and we called timeout, replacing Ayton with Landale. DA never really impacted the game after that.

And then about 3 minutes later Booker finishes out the first quarter by twisting his ankle. I thought at the time that was the 3 or 4 minute stretch that was going to kill us.

I have no further comment, but if Booker can walk, I know he will play.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have no further comment, but if Booker can walk, I know he will play.

I agree. But the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Green pulls on Booker's arm (at the elbow) when he's near the peak of his jump which results in his bad landing. And Brown is a dirty player so I wouldn't be at all surprised if his contact on DA was meant to hurt him. Don't know for sure though. Still, when the Coach boasts repeatedly that he's told them to get more physical, it doesn't take much to figure out what they were doing.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I agree. But the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Green pulls on Booker's arm (at the elbow) when he's near the peak of his jump which results in his bad landing.

Yep, anytime you knock a guy out of the air, it's a bad foul. Green knows better, but gets away with it because he's a vet and other teams trade in the dark arts.

 

[Mainstreet]

I agree. But the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Green pulls on Booker's arm (at the elbow) when he's near the peak of his jump which results in his bad landing. And Brown is a dirty player so I wouldn't be at all surprised if his contact on DA was meant to hurt him. Don't know for sure though. Still, when the Coach boasts repeatedly that he's told them to get more physical, it doesn't take much to figure out what they were doing.

Maybe my mind wasn't too far off when I kept reading Bruce Bowen instead of Bruce Brown.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ayton is dead to me.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Me thinks DeAndre Ayton took himself out of tonight's must win to stay alive playoff game - because he's softer than cotton candy - I honestly don't even care what we get for him in return anymore - just want him and his contract gone

 

[BirdGangThing]

Ayton is dead to me.

And we aint going to the funeral

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

There’s never been a player on a team I root for that I’ve wanted to boo more than Ayturd.

 

[Covert Rain]

There’s never been a player on a team I root for that I’ve wanted to boo more than Ayturd.

Way to quit on your team. My gosh I can't wait for them to get rid of him and I have never felt that way until this season.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

My gosh I can't wait for them to get rid of him and I have never felt that way until this season.

I was willing to give him the playoffs before writing him off, but he wrote himself off.

This is how I'll remember Ayton:

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[AzStevenCal]

I hate to make excuses for DA since he's a walking excuse all on his own but bruised ribs have kept many athletes from playing. I never got to see a good angle of his hit so I have no idea how hard the contact was but the way he collapsed and struggled to get back up made me think he might miss a few days.

 

[Chaplin]

I hate to make excuses for DA since he's a walking excuse all on his own but bruised ribs have kept many athletes from playing. I never got to see a good angle of his hit so I have no idea how hard the contact was but the way he collapsed and struggled to get back up made me think he might miss a few days.

It's an elimination game. You play unless your ribs are broken. You think Book wouldn't play if he had a "rib contusion"?

 

[BirdGangThing]

I'm half expecting some sort of injury report coming out on Ayton today resulting in a questionable status for Game 6 where DeAndre either doesn't play or blames said injury if he does play - guessing it would be a rib thing

Beehatches are so predictable

 

[Bufalay]

That’s a skill and effort thing, not an athleticism thing. Jokic drives by Ayton because of his savvy. He sets aytin with rocking back which makes Ayton thinks he’s shooting and jokic catches him on toes, jokic possess skilled enough ballhandling to them get a step on a guy who won’t put in the effort to play great defense.

On the other end there one simple reason Ayton can’t drive past jokic - he is unable to dribble effectively. Poor ballhandling skills = inability to drive past anyone.

These are semantic differences, physical limitations vs "mental" limitations. Seems like people like to ascribe his limitations to personal failings as if he chooses not to overcome these limitations. Functionally he is slower than Jokic where it matters. It's clear that this cannot be corrected so I don't see the point in try to further diagnose the problem.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I'm half expecting some sort of injury report coming out on Ayton today resulting in a questionable status for Game 6 where DeAndre either doesn't play or blames said injury if he does play - guessing it would be a rib thing

KUDOS