Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton was ruled out for the second half of their game against the Denver Nuggets due to a left eye injury. The incident occurred near the end of the first half, and Ayton did not return after halftime. Jaxson Hayes started in his place for the third quarter.
Before his injury, Ayton played 15 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing eight rebounds while shooting 2-for-5 from the field. The severity of his injury is not yet known. If Ayton is sidelined for an extended period, Hayes is expected to move into the starting lineup. Drew Timme, who has recently seen more playing time and performed well, could serve as backup center.
The Lakers have dealt with several injuries throughout the season. Ayton’s performance has varied, but he was coming off his best game of the year in a recent win over the Toronto Raptors. The team hopes that Ayton’s absence will be brief as they begin an eight-game road trip starting in Denver.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented on Ayton’s role within the team: “There’s a trust level that I think exists with our guys, particularly when he’s in that short-role area,” Redick said. “Those are our post spacing, where he can get those little dump-off passes around the restricted area, just got such a great touch. But for all our guys, the pass is what connects us offensively. Even the defensive-minded players, they still want to feel like they’re part of the offense. That’s just the natural thing that basketball players have.
“And as a big, in particular you’re involved in a lot of plays where you don’t touch the ball. There’s certain players that are not involved in a lot of plays that don’t touch the ball. They’re in the corner, for example. But a big is typically screening a lot, rolling, so you’re doing a lot, and you don’t always get rewarded. And I think it’s important that we continue to look for him.”
The Lakers face a challenging stretch ahead and will need to adjust their lineup as necessary to remain competitive during their road trip.
