The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE missing the final three games of the regular season, Deandre Ayton will reportedly be back in the lineup when the Phoenix Suns make their return to the NBA postseason for the first time in over a decade.

The third year centre said the left knee soreness that kept him out of his only games this season was not a pressing issue but more a matter of rest to be “fully healthy” for a playoff run.

“Going out there, just exercising, doing a little rehab on it,” Ayton said to reporters. “Bring back in my confidence and today was a good practice. So just locked in, man. I’m ready to go.”

The Suns, the No.2 seed in the Western Conference, will open the postseason with a round one matchup against the No.7 Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday May 23 at 3:30pm local time at the PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns are reportedly allowing a capacity of 10,000 fans for the series opener.

“It’s going to be serious and it’s going to be a mental focus, not only physical type of thing going on. There’s going to be a lot of mental and I’m ready to take that next step,” Ayton said.

“This is what I’ve been waiting for, working for. The team is there and we are working, and we are just happy to be in the spot we’re in. Just ready to be in the experience.”

The Lakers clinched the No.7 seed with a 103-100 win over the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night in the play-in tournament.

Phoenix hosts game two, Tuesday May 25 at 10pm, broadcasted on TNT.

The series will shift to Los Angeles for game three Thursday, May 27 at 10pm, also on TNT and game four, Sunday, May 30, 3:30pm on ABC.

Game 5: (if necessary) is back in Phoenix on Tuesday June 1, followed by a game six (if necessary) in Los Angeles Thursday June 3, series finale game seven (if necessary) back in Phoenix on Sunday, June 6.

The Suns won the regular season matchup 2-1.

On March 2 the Suns took a 114-104 win.

Ayton finished with 17 points and six rebounds.

On March 21, Ayton had 26 points and eight rebounds in a Suns 111-94 win.

The Lakers capped the series with a 123-110 win on May 9. Ayton had just six points and six rebounds.

Ayton appeared in 69 of the Suns’ 72 games this season. He averaged a double double for the second consecutive season - 14.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

The Suns finished the season with a 51-21 record.

Phoenix won the Pacific division title for the first time in 14 years and one of the league’s longest playoff droughts when they earned a postseason berth for the first time in 11 years.

In 2019, the Suns were just 19-63 and improved to 34-39 in the 2020 season, the first year under current head coach Monty Williams.