LOS ANGELES — While fans desire players to be as reliable as a calculator, the truth is they are human. And the consistency and dependability to reach a certain level of play are always a balancing act.
This season, Deandre Ayton has been fairly consistent for the Lakers. He’s started every game he’s played in, logs around 30 minutes per game, scores 14 points and flirts with 10 rebounds per night.
However, in recent games, his production has dipped. He’s been scoring less and against Detroit and Houston, he had just two rebounds in each contest.
This downward trend culminated in a woeful game on Friday against the Grizzlies. He fell well below his usual marks and, come the fourth quarter, he was benched for Jaxson Hayes.
After the Friday night win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick put it bluntly on why he went with Hayes over Ayton to close the game.
“He was playing better.”
Ouch.
During Saturday’s practice, Redick was again asked about Ayton’s struggles. His complaints were ones bigs always have about not getting enough looks and being ignored on the floor.
Typically, when players have bad outings against an opponent, they have to wait weeks or months for redemption, but Ayton got his shot at revenge 48 hours later.
This time, Ayton was the player he’s been with the Lakers: an elite screener, efficient scorer and defensive rim protector.
Ayton’s great night started from the opening tip. The Lakers drew up a play for him, and he scored immediately.
“We ran the first play for him,” Redick said. “Got him another couple touches early. I think that was good for him to just touch the basketball and feel like he’s a part of the offense.”
Ayton took that initial make and turned it into a 15-point night, converting on six of his eight field goal attempts as LA beat Memphis for a second straight night.
“Bigs can’t feed themselves,” Ayton said after the win. “I just try my best do what I can to bring effort and I trust my playmakers out there to find me.”
While Ayton had an overall great game, he truly picked up his play when the Lakers needed it most. With LA trailing in the second half, Ayton did the dirty work to outhustle the grit-and-grind Grizzlies.
He was active with his hands and helped put an end to Memphis’ offensive possessions by grabbing rebounds.
Then, with the Lakers once again in a clutch game situation late, Ayton ensured the purple and gold would come out on top.
He made a pair of free throws with 6:27 left to play to give Los Angeles the lead. The next Lakers points came from Ayton on an alley-oop dunk that got Crypto.com Arena out of their seats.
Shortly after this sequence, Ayton stepped up on the defensive side of the ball, stuffing a Jaren Jackson Jr. attempt and then rejecting a Cam Spencer shot during the final minutes, completing the comeback and ending LA’s homestand with a pair of wins.
Setbacks are normal. No one can ever be the best version of themselves. What truly matters is how you respond to adversity. Does it consume you and crush you like a bug as you back down? Or do you rise and overcome?
Ayton chose the latter.
Other disappointing nights during the rest of 2026 are bound to happen for Ayton. But now, he has a reference point of how he can turn things around when it does.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
