Deandre Ayton played a key role in the Los Angeles Lakers’ first regular season win.
The Los Angeles Lakers won 128-110 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by Luka Doncic’s 49-point outburst.
While all eyes were on Doncic, Deandre Ayton quietly put in a solid performance to help the Lakers deal with Rudy Gobert.
The Purple and Gold didn’t have a true center on the roster this offseason, so the Lakers signed Ayton for his defensive ability.
But after his dominant performance against the Golden State Warriors, Lakers Nation quickly called out the former No. 1 overall pick.
In fact, Ayton didn’t have much of an impact in the first half against the Timberwolves. However, DA rallied in the second half and finished the night with 15 points and eight rebounds.
Ayton’s true impact came on the defensive end of the floor, holding Gobert to just two points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Gobert’s poor performance was the biggest reason for the T-Wolves’ loss, and Ayton deserves similar credit.
The true impact of Ayton’s defense can be seen when comparing his performance the last time 4x DPOY played against the Lakers.
In Game 5 of the first round series between the Lakers and the Timberwolves, Gobert had 27 points and 24 rebounds.
Gobert is a good player, but it was the first time in his career that fans saw that version of the French star.
But with Ayton on the roster, it’s safe to think the Lakers have found a counter to Gobert, giving the purple and gold a good chance of beating the T-Wolves if the teams meet again in the playoffs.