'get The Big Fella Involved': Lakers' Deandre Ayton Disappearing Against Thunder

One rebound sewage away. Another went to nan Oklahoma City Thunder connected a foul by Deandre Ayton. When a 3rd opportunity glanced past Ayton’s nonchalantly extended arm, JJ Redick had seen enough.

The Lakers coach couldn’t moreover sub accelerated capable earlier Ayton’s two-handed vexation shove of Oklahoma City defender Ajay Mitchell put a disappointing punctuation people connected a disastrous 19-second agelong for nan Lakers starting center.

Ayton, a cardinal portion of nan Lakers’ first-round bid win, has been mostly absent successful nan Western Conference semifinals against nan Oklahoma City Thunder. With nan Lakers down 3-0 successful nan best-of-seven bid aft Saturday’s 131-108 loss astatine Crypto.com Arena, Ayton has averaged 7.7 points per crippled and 9.3 rebounds against nan Thunder.

Desperate to debar nan dreaded 3-0 hole, Ayton was constricted to 10 points and six rebounds and conscionable 1 protect board. He was held to one-of-seven shooting in Game 2 for conscionable 3 points, though he had 22 rebounds complete nan first 2 games.

After an up-and-down regular season, it appeared that nan erstwhile No. 1 wide prime was fresh to unrecorded up to nan hype. He was a quiet prima successful nan Lakers’ first-round bid triumph against nan Houston Rockets, often guarding All-Star Alperen Sengun one-on-one and dominating nan paint. He averaged 11 points and 10.8 rebounds against nan Rockets.

Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault took note. He called Ayton a “priority” for nan Thunder defense successful this series. Redick said Ayton raises nan Lakers’ ceiling much than immoderate different player.

The Lakers tried to spark their X-factor successful nan 3rd quarter. They built a two-point halftime lead disconnected nan stellar shot-making of Rui Hachimura (21 points) and Luke Kennard (18 points) but funneled nan shot toward Ayton aft nan break.

Lakers halfway Deandre Ayton dunks against nan Oklahoma City Thunder successful Game 3 of nan Western Conference semifinals Saturday astatine Crypto.com Arena.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Hachimura, who made each 4 of his three-point attempts successful nan first half, had a chance astatine a 3 connected nan Lakers’ first possession but alternatively passed to Ayton, who was fouled connected nan floor. Marcus Smart tried a lob to Ayton, but nan halfway couldn’t corral nan pass. The Lakers went backmost to him connected each of nan adjacent 2 violative possessions and he scored connected both.

He scored six of his 10 points during a three-and-a-half-minute agelong of nan 3rd quarter.

“DA is simply a hellhole of a player,” said Smart, 1 of Ayton’s closest teammates. “We each cognize it. We conscionable want to get him nan touches and get him nan consciousness early, conscionable to springiness them a different look. ... All nan guards are doing their thing. So we’re conscionable trying to get nan large fella involved.”

Ayton’s signature soft touch astir nan handbasket has abruptly escaped him. After shooting 60.4% from nan section during nan first information and a career-best 67.1% during nan regular season, Ayton is shooting 39.3% (11 for 28) against nan Thunder. He made conscionable 3 of 11 shots successful nan restricted area during nan first 2 games.

The Lakers needed Ayton to thrive during this bid against nan double-big lineup of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Some of Ayton’s shooting struggles person depended connected wherever nan lanky 7-foot-1 Holmgren has been connected nan court, Redick said. The Lakers person tried to tie Holmgren retired of nan overgarment much to free up Ayton.

Holmgren has still been a unit successful this bid pinch 21.3 points and 10 rebounds per game. Hartenstein has made 14 of 16 shots from nan section successful nan 3 games.

Ayton’s backup Jaxson Hayes was besides neutralized successful Saturday’s blowout, not returning to nan crippled aft conscionable 8 minutes and 30 seconds of mostly ineffective play. When Redick had seen capable from Ayton successful nan 4th fourth aft he gave up 2 violative rebounds and fouled doubly successful 19 seconds, nan coach opted for rookie Adou Thiero.

Thiero, a 22-year-old who tries to dress up for his deficiency of acquisition pinch axenic centrifugal and athleticism, had a team-high 8 rebounds pinch 4 points successful 13 minutes and 12 seconds.

But nan Lakers gave up an violative rebound disconnected a free propulsion instantly aft Thiero replaced Ayton. Hayes, sitting astatine nan extremity of nan chair pinch his arms folded crossed his chest, stared blankly up and shook his caput slowly.

No NBA squad has ever travel backmost from a 3-0 shortage successful a best-of-seven playoff series. Ayton has been quiet successful this series, but he doesn’t scheme to beryllium silenced overmuch longer pinch nan play connected nan line.

“We ain’t gonna springiness up,” Ayton said connected his measurement retired of nan arena. “We will beryllium backmost to conflict connected Monday.”

Staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.