There were a good number of skeptics who felt that Deandre Ayton wouldn’t make that much of an impact on the Lakers this season. He has had a reputation for being a weak defender, especially over the last couple of seasons, and he is also regarded as being soft.
In the first four games of this season, Ayton is averaging 15.8 points on 60% field-goal shooting and 9.3 rebounds a game, numbers that are roughly in line with his career averages. But a deeper look at the numbers reveals that he has been impacting the Lakers’ defense in a positive manner.
He entered Tuesday eighth in the NBA in the lowest opponents’ shooting percentage as the closest defender at 35.1%.
As great as it is to have a center who is a shot-blocking machine, blocked shots aren’t necessarily the best or only indicator of effective rim protection, let alone overall defense. Ayton, who is averaging one blocked shot a game, has been making a decent effort to contest shots at or near the rim, and he’s been largely holding his own when defending on the perimeter.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: One stat illustrates Deandre Ayton’s improved defensive effort
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
