The Phoenix Suns defeated the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Friday, but Deandre Ayton did not seem all that thrilled with the result.
Ayton was benched late in the fourth quarter following a rough sequence. He first missed a layup and did not give a strong effort trying to grab the rebound. Ayton then came down with a rebound after a Nuggets miss on the opposite end of the floor, but he had the ball poked out of his hands by Bruce Brown. That led to a Denver basket to cut the Suns’ lead to 103-96.
Monty Williams benched Deandre Ayton after he failed to finish a layup over Jamal Murray. pic.twitter.com/233OXbl7XF
— Khiz (@KhizHoop) May 6, 2023
The Suns held on to win 121-114 after losing the first two games of the series. Reporters did not have a chance to ask Ayton about head coach Monty Williams’ decision to bench him, as Ayton left the locker room before the media was granted access.
Deandre Ayton exited the arena before the Suns’ locker room opened to media. Monty Williams had high praise for Jock Landale’s effort. https://t.co/ZILIkcuNMD
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 6, 2023
Ayton came under fire during Game 1 for a sequence in which he gave absolutely zero effort on the glass (video here). He tried to downplay it after the game, but it seems like Monty Williams has run out of patience with the former No. 1 overall pick.
