The Phoenix Suns were beaten comfortably by the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Jamal Murray led the home team in scoring, while Nikola Jokic dominated the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds.
The Phoenix Suns‘ can collectively blame their poor defensive effort for the result, but one particular player has been called out for his poor effort on the night. A clip of Deandre Ayton standing and watching under the rim as Jokic grabs three consecutive offensive rebounds has caught the eyes of fans.
The Suns are not a contender if this is the version of Ayton they get — dude is an unserious basketball player.
— 🦉 Lakers Vino (@VinoUncorked) April 30, 2023
That is egregious and borderline unacceptable to do in the Western Conference Semifinals. The criticism of Ayton has long been that despite having talent, he simply does not put in effort when it matters most, and this is proving that criticism right. Nikola Jokic is a two-time MVP, and in the race for a third, if Ayton continues to play like this against him, the Suns don’t have a chance despite all their scoring talent.
Deandre Ayton became the subject of a lot of controversy in last season’s playoffs as well, getting into a very public feud with Monty Williams. And fans have blasted him for the lack of effort he has shown once more. The hope for the Suns will be that Ayton takes it to heart and genuinely improves for the rest of the series.
What Do The Suns Need To Do To Win Game 2 Against The Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have been slept on this season despite being the No. 1 seed in the West. They have a balanced roster, superstars, and excellent coaching, so the Phoenix Suns cannot afford to go down 3-0 against this team. As such, they need to improve a few things.
The first thing that needs to be better is the rebounding. That means Deandre Ayton needs to be more assertive. The Suns got out-rebounded by 11 during the game, and it caused problems for them all night. This needs to change.
The team will also need to defend much better. The Denver Nuggets shot a whopping 43% from three-point range as a team, and a lot of that is on the Suns not being aggressive enough. The Nuggets got any look they wanted, and that is a recipe for disaster. If the Suns can make the adjustments and improve on these facets, they can make a serious series out of this matchup.
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