“Were desperate, I kind of like it” – DeAndre Ayton REJECTS season-end possibility for Phoenix Suns against Nuggets

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton talks about his mindset and his matchup with Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference semifinals.

“Were desperate, I kind of like it” – DeAndre Ayton REJECTS season-end possibility for Phoenix Suns against Nuggets

Phoenix Suns' DeAndre Ayton (Via YouTube)

The Phoenix Suns are in trouble. They are down 0-2 to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals, and they have lost their floor general, Chris Paul to a groin injury. The Nuggets have dominated them in every aspect of the game, from shooting to rebounding to scoring in the paint. And they have no answer for Nikola Jokic, who is putting up MVP numbers in this series. Deandre Ayton, the Suns’ young center, has been one of the few bright spots for his team in this series.

Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has been impressive in his matchup with Jokic, averaging 18.0 points and ten rebounds on 58.9% shooting. He has also made life difficult for Jokic on defense, holding him to 42.2% shooting from the field.

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Ayton said he likes being in a do-or-die situation, as it brings out the best in him and his teammates. “I think we cracked down on the things we need to do,” Ayton said. “Really, just playing our type of basketball man. Starting on the road in this series was new for us. And also playing in Denver was new for us, to where we’re starting off the series. It was just new all-around.“

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“Being down 2-0 is new as well. It’s new adversity, it’s all a part of the playoffs. And Phoenix has really enlightened us, you know? Now, we got to grit and grind. Now, we’re desperate.”

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DeAndre Ayton relishes the challenge of facing Jokic

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Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Ayton said that he enjoys going up against Jokic, who is widely or arguably regarded as the best center in the league right now. “He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong,” Ayton said. “But at the end of the day, I’m here to compete and I’m here to win.”

Ayton said that he is not intimidated by Jokic’s skills or accolades and that he is confident in his own abilities. “I kind of like it. We got nothing to lose, to be honest. Just to have that feeling so early in the series and know that… everything really counts right now. Just to be back home, having this feeling is great. It’s a good feeling.”

Ayton and the Suns will have to show their fight and resilience on Friday night as they try to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole against the Nuggets.

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