Deandre Ayton sat out the rest of the Jazz game with a knee injury
The Los Angeles Lakers will have to try to beat the Utah Jazz without center Deandre Ayton after suffering a knee injury on Sunday.
Ayton was ejected in the second quarter and did not play in the third frame. NBA insider Marc Stein eventually reported that Ayton was turned off for the rest of the competition.
He scored two points and three rebounds in 13 minutes of action.
Fans will have to hold their breath until the Lakers provide more clarity on Ayton’s status. But obviously, losing him for an extended period would be a huge blow, as it was dropped in his first game with the Lakers.
Entering their second straight game against the Jazz, the former No. 1 overall pick was averaging 16.5 points on 69.9 percent shooting and a career-high 8.8 rebounds. He benefited a lot from the playmaking of Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves, and recently LeBron James.
Many questioned the Lakers’ decision to sign the 27-year-old Ayton in the offseason to a two-year, $16.6 million deal, claiming he wasn’t the right fit. There were also questions about his work ethic and his ability to stay healthy. But so far Ayton has proved the naysayers wrong.
He recorded three consecutive 20-point double-doubles before facing Utah again. The purple and gold are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Ayton, who sat out Saturday’s practice, has played just 95 games in two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers because of various injuries.
As of this writing, the Lakers are holding a double-digit lead against the Jazz in the fourth quarter.
2025-11-24 03:06:00
