The Los Angeles Lakers returned to winning ways by taking down the Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday. After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said he was particularly impressed by Deandre Ayton’s play on defense against the 76ers, but the big man wasn’t quite sure why. A hilarious scene unfolded when Ayton was asked about Redick praising his defense in his postgame media session.
Deandre Ayton: “I’mma be real, I don’t know what he talking about.”
Reporter: “That you played well defensively.”
Ayton: “That’s it. I don’t even know… I don’t know.”
Reporter: “Did you feel like you played well defensively?”
Ayton: “No… I just did what I have to do. I thank him. But I ain’t know what I did out there.”
Deandre Ayton when asked about his defensive effort:
“I’mma be real: I don’t know what (JJ) talking about. I don’t know. I just do what I have to do. I thank him but I ain’t know what I did out there” pic.twitter.com/c6YWj4jMFo
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) December 8, 2025
Ayton has given a fair few hilarious soundbites this season and this was the latest one. The 27-year-old apparently doesn’t feel he played as well on defense as his head coach thinks he did. Here is what Redick had to say in his press conference.
“We gave up 60 points in the first half, and then to come back in the second half and defend the way we did was awesome,” Redick said. “And I thought DA, in particular, led on that end of the floor for us. We just talked about it in the locker room; he did a ton of stuff.
“He was in drop being disruptive,” Redick continued. “He was getting loose balls. He was blocking shots. He was switching on to [Tyrese] Maxey. Just whatever we needed him to do on that end of the floor in the second half, he was great.”
Ayton finished with 14 points (7-7 FG), 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block on the night. He played his part in the Lakers’ managing to slow the 76ers down offensively in the second half.
The 76ers were 17-51 (33.3%) from the field after halftime and managed to score just 48 points. It was just the fifth time this season that a team had failed to score 50 points in a half against the Lakers.
Ayton has never really been viewed as a great defender during his career, but he has fared better on that end of the floor than you’d have thought he would at the start of the season. The Lakers’ decision to sign him to a two-year, $16.6 million deal in the summer wasn’t viewed as a great one, but it’s working out well for them so far.
Ayton is now averaging 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. He is shooting 70.6% from the field and has played his role well.
The Lakers improved to 17-6 with this win over the 76ers and are back up to second in the standings in the West. They will now take on the San Antonio Spurs in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday at 10 PM ET.
