Luka Doncic Takes Blame for Deandre Ayton's Play amid Criticism After Lakers Debut
Luka Dončić shouldered the blame for Deandre Ayton only getting seven field-goal attempts in the Los Angeles Lakers' 119-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Dončić explained he has "to do a better job" of incorporating Ayton into the flow of the offense.
"Have to do a better job, just talking to him, like what I want, what he wants," said Dončić. "And I mean, today was on me, not getting him enough touches, probably. Gotta help him."
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Ayton was signed in the offseason to give the Lakers a true starting center that they lacked at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
It was also a move that made a lot of sense because Dončić has a seemingly preternatural gift for creating easy buckets for big men in the pick-and-roll game. Jaxson Hayes had a 21-game stretch last season from Feb. 26 through March 27 when he averaged 9.6 points per game on 78.6 percent shooting.
Ayton finished with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 34 minutes against the Warriors. He only had 22 games with seven or fewer field-goal attempts in the previous three seasons combined.
After the game, Ayton told reporters his lack of shot attempts can partly be attributed to him being a "confusing big" for Dončić and Austin Reaves because he's "so used to the league having that low man on me, so sometimes I can't even finish a roll."
The timing is an indication that Dončić and Ayton just need more time on the court together. Ayton admitted late in training camp that he didn't have a lot of time working with Dončić, who sat out the Lakers' first four preseason games.
Things will get better because both players are too talented not to figure things out. Ayton will have a tough defensive matchup coming up when the Lakers host Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday at 10 p.m. ET.
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