There is clear frustration surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers, who have yet to solve the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Big man Deandre Ayton, for one, has caught plenty of heat for his play amid the second-round series against the reigning NBA champions, and he amplified concerns about his effort and effectiveness when he struggled to secure a rebound on consecutive plays.
But Lakers head coach JJ Redick is keeping his confidence high on Ayton, as he praised the former No. 1 draft pick heading into Game 4 of the Thunder series.
“I’ve been around DA for a season now. I know how special he is for our group to succeed. And I told him this morning, I said to him in the Houston series at one point he was the big part of the reason we were winning the series,” Redick told reporters on Monday, via Khobi Price of the California Post.
“He was a big part of the reason we won the series. I believe in him and he’s going to help us win tomorrow.”The Thunder have dominated Los Angeles on both ends of the floor on their way to securing a 3-0 series lead.
Oklahoma City has virtually won the series, as no team in NBA history has ever successfully come back from such a deficit. But if the Lakers are to prolong the series and keep their hopes of a playoff miracle alive, Ayton will definitely have to step it up. Through three games, he has averaged only 7.7 points on 39.3% shooting while grabbing 9.3 rebounds.
