The Los Angeles Lakers return to action Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PT when they open their first-round series against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Center Deandre Ayton, acquired last offseason, will make his Lakers postseason debut and is poised for an expanded role with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined.
“I’m almost speechless,” Ayton said after Wednesday’s practice. “Being in L.A., this place can get pretty loud. I’m trying to embrace everything—thinking about the fans, thinking about the first game as a Laker in the playoffs. I want to do backflips. I’m in the purple and gold, and I just want to play hard as hell to contribute to wins.”
The 27-year-old center accepted a pay cut last summer to join Los Angeles, targeting opportunities in high-stakes games. With the team’s top two scorers unavailable, head coach Darvin Ham is expected to lean on Ayton for additional offense and interior defense.
Ayton said Houston’s aggressiveness on the boards will demand a physical response. “They’re super athletic and physical,” he noted. “Since I’ve been in the league, Houston’s always sending five guys to the glass. That’s how they get rhythm and extra possessions. We’ve got to match that.”
Saturday’s matchup will offer the first glimpse of how the Lakers perform without Doncic and Reaves and how far Ayton’s enthusiasm can carry a reshaped rotation.
Source: Lakers Nation
