Deandre Ayton scored 15 points as the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Memphis Grizzlies 120-114 on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena. He credited the team’s energy and communication for the fourth-quarter turnaround.
“Really the effort plays, you know, just making effort plays down the stretch,” Ayton said. “Bron and Luka just really led the way and talked on both ends of the floor. Jake being aggressive really got the team going, and the bench was not having a seat, just cheering for the guys on the floor.”
Ayton emphasized the importance of teammates in his defensive role. “Before those passes and before they get those steals in the lane, they’re talking and communicating from the get-go,” he said. “Having Vando out there totally boxing my dude out, scooping up offensive boards or closing out defensive possessions, that effort is contagious.”
He also addressed the Lakers’ game plan adjustments. “Bigs can’t feed themselves, and I just try my best to do what I can, trusting my playmakers to find me,” Ayton said. “The approach went the right way and helped my overall effort tonight.”
On defensive strategy in the second half, Ayton noted Memphis’ adjustments. “They tried to get physical and played three bigs, which made us do a lot of size switching,” he said. “It brought us into a playoff environment where everybody had to guard their own yard, close out possessions, get rebounds, and push in transition. We had that advantage offensively.”
The Lakers overcame an 11-point deficit late in the third quarter, tying the game at 92-92 on a driving layup from Jake LaRavia. Luka Doncic gave Los Angeles its first lead since the opening quarter with a pull-up jumper at 100-99, sparking the momentum that carried through the fourth.
Despite missing Rui Hachimura for the third straight game and Austin Reaves for the fourth due to a calf injury, the Lakers rallied with strong performances from LeBron James, who had 26 points and 10 assists, and LaRavia’s 26 points.
Memphis struggled to respond without Ja Morant, who missed his 15th game of the past 21 due to a calf injury, leaving the Grizzlies at 15-20 as they look to break their three-game skid. Los Angeles improved to 22-11 and will visit New Orleans on Tuesday.
