Deandre Ayton attempted 12 shots and two free throws in the Phoenix Suns’ 101-111 Game 4 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. That doesn’t sound too bad. He had 14 points, 11 rebounds. Not so far off his regular season averages of 17/10.
The kicker is...the Mavericks have nobody to guard Ayton. Nobody. Their fans over on Mavs Moneyball readily admit this. Both Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber are basically backup power forwards whom the Mavericks have pressed into service as centers, and theyre both smaller and far less athletically gifted than the fourth-year Suns big man.