LOS ANGELES — Center Deandre Ayton said the Los Angeles Lakers need more time together to refine their pick-and-roll attack with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves following Tuesday’s 10-point loss to the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
Making his regular-season debut for Los Angeles, Ayton finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four turnovers. Doncic and Reaves combined for eight more miscues as the trio struggled to sync up offensively.
“I’m probably a confusing big,” Ayton told reporters. “Sometimes I roll, sometimes I stay in the pocket around the free-throw line just to be available. We’ve got to play more games against good teams to see what coverages they use on us.”
The 27-year-old center, acquired in the offseason to bolster a thin frontcourt, said he often feels a defender on his back and hesitates to finish his roll, leading to traffic in the lane.
Doncic accepted responsibility for the limited touches Ayton received. “I have to do a better job talking to him about what he wants and what I want,” the guard said. “Tonight was on me for not getting him the ball enough.”
Doncic added that he has not played with a center who favors pocket passes as much as Ayton. “I think he prefers the pocket,” he noted. “We need to discuss it and get him more involved.”
Head coach JJ Redick highlighted another long-standing concern: poor third-quarter performances. The Lakers were outscored shortly after halftime once again, a trend Redick said must be corrected quickly.
Los Angeles will continue its opening homestand later this week, giving Ayton and the backcourt additional chances to build chemistry before the schedule intensifies.
Source: Lakers Nation
