Home|Sports|Ayton records double-double in preseason actionSports
Sheldon LongleySend an emailOctober 12, 2022 174 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
Bahamian post player with the Phoenix Suns DeAndre Ayton had arguably his best game of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) preseason on Monday night, recording a double-double in the Suns’ 107-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
In 27 and a half minutes of play, Ayton dropped in 19 points on 9-for-12 shooting from the field. He recorded his first double-double of the preseason as he added 11 rebounds. He also had three steals, an assist and a block. For the preseason, Ayton is averaging 16 points per game on 60.5 percent shooting from the field. He is also averaging 8.33 rebounds per game.
The Bahamian big man is looking for a more substantial role in the Suns’ offense this season, particularly after signing a new deal in the offseason. He said he is staying away from any suspected conflict with the team and will let his play do the talking.
In their game last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, playing on neutral ground at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Ayton had seven points and a game-high eight rebounds in 25 minutes on the floor, in a 119-115 victory for his team.
The previous game, Ayton had 22 points on 11-for-14 shooting from the field and added six rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes of play in a 134-124 loss for them to the Adelaide 36ers.
Ayton and the Suns will host the Sacramento Kings at 10 o’clock tonight. That game will be played at the Footprint Center, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield and the Indiana Pacers experienced action on Friday.
Hield finished with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field, and was 3-for-5 from deep, in 20 minutes of play. The Pacers’ shooting guard added four assists, a rebound and a steal as the Pacers fell to the New York Knicks, 131-114, at Madison Square Garden, in Manhattan, New York.
For the preseason, Hield is averaging 10 points on 44.4 percent shooting from the field. He is also shooting 44.4 percent from distance.
Hield and the Pacers host the Knicks at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, tonight. That game will get underway at 7 p.m.
Kai Jones experienced action for the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
The Hornets’ second-year forward/center had two points, two rebounds, an assist and a block in about nine minutes of play. The Hornets fell to the Washington Wizards, 116-107, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
For the preseason, Jones is averaging 3.67 points on 37.5 percent shooting from the floor. He adds three rebounds per game.
The Hornets play the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tonight. That game gets underway at 7 p.m.
The Suns have a 1-2 win/loss record in the preseason, the Pacers are 1-1, and the Hornets are winless at 0-4.
The NBA regular season tips off on Tuesday, October 18.