Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Unlikely to play Friday
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Ayton (knee) is doubtful for Friday's game against Dallas.
Ayton was unavailable for Wednesday's game against the Warriors due to a sore right knee, and he'll likely sit out once again Friday. Assuming he's sidelined, Duop Reath and Kris Murray should see increased run again.
Ayton (knee) won't play in Wednesday's game against the Warriors, Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers' official site reports.
Ayton was previously handed a doubtful tag, so his absence isn't surprising. Duop Reath will start in his place, while Ayton's next chance to play will come Friday against Dallas.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Likely out against Golden State
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Ayton is listed as doubtful for Wednesday's matchup with the Warriors due to right knee soreness.
Ayton's knee injury will likely cause him to miss just his second game of the season Wednesday. If the 25-year-old center is ruled out, Jabari Walker, Duop Reath and Rayan Rupert are candidates to receive increased minutes.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Tallies double-double in return
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Ayton ended Sunday's 108-102 loss to the Bucks with 14 points (5-6 FG, 4-6 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal across 32 minutes.
Ayton returned to the court Sunday after missing the team's previous game due to a back injury. The big man led Portland in rebounds and blocks en route to a double-double performance. Ayton has recorded a double-double in eight games this season, including in two of his last four outings. He has tallied 10 or more boards 10 times this year.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Cleared for action
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Ayton (back) will be active for Sunday's game against Milwaukee.
Ayton is dealing with lower back soreness, which forced him to miss his first game of the season Wednesday against Utah. Duop Reath started in Ayton's stead, but the former will likely return to a bench role, with the latter now available.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Probable against Bucks
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Ayton (back) is probable against the Bucks on Sunday.
Ayton has been able to practice since sitting out Wednesday's contest against the Jazz, and previous reports have indicated that he's expected to play Sunday. In his most recent game against the Suns on Tuesday, Ayton scored 18 points with eight rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Practices Friday
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Ayton (back) participated in practice Friday and expects to play Sunday versus the Bucks, Sean Highkin of RoseGardenReport.com reports.
Ayton has not officially been cleared for Sunday's contest, but he appears to be trending in that direction. The big man was a late scratch in Wednesday's game versus the Jazz due to back soreness. More clarity should come when Portland releases its injury report for the contest.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Late scratch Wednesday
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Ayton is out for Wednesday's game versus the Jazz due to back soreness, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Ayton wasn't carrying an injury designation until being ruled out shortly before tipoff Wednesday. Duop Reath will enter the starting lineup in his absence. Ayton's next chance to suit up is Sunday's matchup with Milwaukee.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Posts 18 points against former team
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Ayton amassed 18 points (9-14 FG), eight rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal over 31 minutes during Tuesday's 120-107 loss to the Suns.
Ayton received unwarranted boos every time he touched the ball Tuesday evening. Although the machinations of the front office are to blame for his departure, a chilly reception was expected for Ayton's return to the Footprint Center. Ayton finished with an adequate total, although he was slightly outplayed in the paint by Jusuf Nurkic. Ayton isn't receiving as many scoring opportunities with his new team, as his current average of 12.6 points per game is on pace for a career low.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Returns to form Friday
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Ayton logged 17 points (8-14 FG, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 38 minutes during Friday's 107-95 loss to the Lakers.
Ayton had arguably his worst game of the season Wednesday against Cleveland, tallying just six points and six boards over 26 minutes. He was much more effective Friday, finishing with his seventh double-double of the campaign. Ayton's scoring has been way down in his first year with the Blazers, as his current average of 12.3 points per game is on pace for a career-low mark. Still, he's putting up his usual strong numbers on the boards with 11.5 rebounds per contest and is also averaging 1.5 thefts per game, well above his career norm.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Struggles against tough frontcourt
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Ayton registered six points (3-10 FG) and six rebounds in 26 minutes during Wednesday's 109-95 loss to Cleveland.
Ayton ran into the imposing Cavaliers frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, resulting in his worst performance of the campaign. The game was relatively close throughout, and Ayton finished with just three fouls. Coach Chauncey Billups felt more comfortable with Duop Reath for much of the game -- a floor-spacing option at center. The situation is worth monitoring lightly, though it was the first time since Oct. 29 that Ayton has played fewer than 32 minutes. Fantasy managers aren't getting what they hoped for in terms of Ayton's scoring (11.9 points per game), but his 11.5 rebounds are on pace to match a career-high mark. He's also had active hands defensively, averaging 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks. That's helped the center retain fantasy value while his offense has slipped.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Records double-double in loss
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Ayton produced 22 points (10-17 FG, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds and three assists across 34 minutes during Tuesday's 115-99 loss to the Jazz.
Ayton has had to step his game up offensively due to the absences the Trail Blazers are dealing with, but he made his presence felt on both ends of the court Tuesday despite the double-digit loss. Ayton has been inconsistent as a scorer but has been playing well recently, racking up five double-doubles over his last seven contests.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Modest production in loss
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Ayton provided 12 points (6-10 FG), seven rebounds and two blocks across 34 minutes during Sunday's 116-110 loss to the Lakers.
Ayton grabbed a season-low seven boards, failing to record double-digit rebounds for just the second time this season. While the big man is averaging a double-double to start his first campaign in Portland, his scoring production has taken a dramatic hit. He's currently averaging a career-low 11.4 points per game, but he has been a force defensively, posting 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks a night.
Ayton registered 16 points (8-13 FG), 11 rebounds, one assist, one block and five steals across 34 minutes during Wednesday's 110-101 win over the Pistons.
Ayton was coming off grabbing a career-high 23 rebounds against the Raptors on Monday, and he recorded another career-high mark Wednesday with his five steals. The big man has three double-doubles across his last four games and has pulled down double-digit boards in all but one of his five appearances so far, though he could experience an uptick in scoring to boost his fantasy upside even more. Thus far, Ayton has reached the 15-point mark in just one of his five outings.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Career-best night on glass
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Ayton ended Monday's 99-91 victory over the Raptors with 10 points (5-9 FG), 23 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in 32 minutes.
The 23 boards were a career high for the former Sun, who never topped 21 during his time with Phoenix. Ayton's offense has been erratic to begin the season as he tries to find his role on a new team, but he's delivered 12 or more rebounds in three of four games and appears headed for career-best numbers in that category -- his prior high was 11.5 boards a game, set back in 2019-20 over only 38 contests.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Records double-double in loss
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Ayton ended with 14 points (7-9 FG), 15 rebounds and one assist over 30 minutes during Friday's 102-97 loss to the Magic.
Ayton found his shooting stroke after a tepid showing in the season opener. Ayton and Shaedon Sharpe had the most success against a solid Orlando defense, and the double-double was a relief to fantasy managers who invested in him with a high draft pick. The impact of Anfernee Simons' (thumb) injury is assuaged by a solid group of guards eager to make an impact, and they'll look to find a way to keep Ayton on the receiving end of assists in the interior.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Low scoring total in loss
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Ayton racked up four points (2-4 FG), 12 rebounds, one assist, one block and three steals across 23 minutes during Wednesday's 123-111 loss to the Clippers.
Ayton's first regular-season game in a Portland uniform was a mixed bag. The former Phoenix Sun turned the ball over three times, and while his rebounding totals were great, he struggled to put points on the board. Ayton has the inside track to be the full-time starter, but Robert Williams also looked good in the opener, and his presence could cap Ayton's usage to under 30 minutes.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Good to go against Clippers
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Ayton (rest) isn't on the injury report for Wednesday's season opener against the Clippers.
Ayton will suit up for Wednesday's preseason opener after sitting out the team's preseason finale for rest purposes. Ayton is slated to start at center for Portland after being traded from Phoenix this offseason.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Out for preseason finale
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Ayton (rest/undisclosed) is inactive for Monday's preseason game against the Suns, Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers' official site reports.
Ayton will sit Portland's preseason finale, which wouldn't be very notable except that he passes the opportunity for a revenge game against the Suns. Ayton did not play in Saturday's preseason contest against Utah as well, but the 25-year-old should be fully healthy come the beginning of the regular season.
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Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton: Out against Utah
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Ayton (undisclosed) is out for Saturday's game against the Jazz, Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers' official site reports.
There are no details regarding Ayton's absence, so there's a chance he is just out due to rest. Ayton's next chance to play will come against the Suns on Monday.
