Deandre Ayton praised the Lakers’ defensive coordination as key to closing out Tuesday’s 111-103 win over New Orleans. “We went through just switching everything… Bron being the lone man and him and Luka just talking, pointing out, calling out coverages early… it really helped,” Ayton said.
The center emphasized the team’s confidence and energy during the fourth quarter. “You could tell that we have a pep in our step, closing the game where we felt confident at what we were doing,” he added.
Ayton highlighted his own contributions around the rim. “They were switching a ton, and I had a chance to really get the feel of the ball, take advantage of mismatches, get deep seals around the rim, bring out the post hook… hats off to Luka and Bron for doing damage so I could get those open looks,” he said.
He also pointed to his developing chemistry with LeBron James. “It’s becoming the norm now where I know where he’s at… know if he’s staying in the corner or cutting to the rim… and how to give him the ball,” Ayton explained.
Trust and execution were central to Ayton’s remarks on team offense. “It’s really trust… great players just really trusting us… cutting hard and moving with intent, letting them see how it plays out,” he said.
The Lakers, now 23-11, relied on an 18-4 fourth-quarter run to overcome a Pelicans squad led by Trey Murphy’s career-high 41 points. Ayton’s 18 points and 11 rebounds helped sustain Los Angeles’ dominance in the paint and secure their fourth win in five games.
