The next game for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Cup will be against the Dallas Mavericks in the group stage, a crucial matchup since they already hold four victories, and securing a win against Dallas could give them the chance to host an elimination-round contest.
However, that opportunity will not come easily for LeBron James and his teammates. For this clash, the Mavs will count on the return of Anthony Davis, who had been sidelined with an injury.
The Lakers’ player assigned to guard him will be Deandre Ayton, who also missed a recent game due to a minor injury issue. According to information shared by ESPN’s McMenamin, Ayton spoke about the personal challenge he is set to face on the court.
You don’t want to foul him. AD is a great shot-maker. It takes the whole team to guard him.
He added.
You treat him like a Giannis [Antetokounmpo], you treat him like [Nikola] Jokic, like all the other superstars in this league, where you need the whole team to be a presence in front of them. Try to throw two at him if anything, one man can’t really guard him.
Ayton continued by detailing the approach he believes is necessary to contain the star big man.
Try to throw two at him as much as possible, try to get the ball out of his hands early, not let him get to his spots-” and “He’s gonna face up and get to the middy [mid-range], try not to foul him. Give him hard looks.
He’s gonna do his thing, but just try your best to give him hard looks and get the ball out of his hands. I love to compete, competing is fun, seeing him out there is going to bring another competitive type of spirit.
Davis has appeared in only five games so far this season, and Ayton has dealt with similar availability issues, though for a shorter span. The center explained his recent physical setback by saying,
It was just a little bruising really. Stuff I could play through.
He added,
It’s not really something stopping me from playing. It hurts, but it’s something I can play through. . .shootaround went pretty smoothly as well, I didn’t have any knick-knacks or uncomfortableness.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ record
The Lakers are off to an impressive start this season. They currently occupy second place in the Western Conference with a 13-4 record, trailing only the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who stand at 18-1. Following their matchup against Dallas, the Lakers will face the Pelicans and the Suns, two contests that will further test their early-season momentum.
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