DeAndre Ayton

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PHOTOS » A look back at Deandre Ayton’s 2023 – 2024 Trail Blazers Season

Casey Holdahl

Greetings from the Oregon coast. With half the league playing in the first weekend of the 2024 NBA Playoffs and the other half preparing for the Draft, it made sense to touch on both topics on the latest edition of The Brief Case podcast, which you can listen and subscribe to below...

As you might imagine, topics on this edition include...

• Recapping the first weekend of the 2024 NBA Playoffs and making some late predictions on how each first round series ends 

• Checking out who ESPN has the Trail Blazers selecting with the third, 14th, 33rd and 40th picks of 2024 NBA Draft

• Exit interviews with Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton

You can subscribe to the Brief Case on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, IHeartRadio, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, PlayerFM.

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Exit Interviews, Playoff Predictions And Mock Drafts On The Brief Case Podcast

Portland Trail Blazers

Comedian Ian Karmel puts Deandre and Kris to the test.

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Karmel's Combine | Blind Drawing with Deandre Ayton and Kris Murray

PORTLAND -- Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton hears the hating. Despite averaging a double-double for his career, the 7-foot center in his sixth season out of Arizona knows there are doubts and jokes. Lots of jokes, in fact.

But when Ayton is at his best, as he’s been since the calendar flipped to 2024, he’s the one laughing.

“I listen and I hear it and I love it,” said Ayton of his doubters. “I thank these haters for it, cause it’s making me approach this game in the right way and carry the PDX on my back all the way. So I thank them. I’m wearing the cape all the way.”

Ayton posted a season-high 33 points, just two off his career-high, on 15-of-20 shooting, 19 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block to lead the Trail Blazers to a 106-102 victory versus the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night at Moda Center.

The Trail Blazers are now 19-46 overall and 11-23 at home this season.

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Deandre Ayton Highlights (33 PTS, 19 REBS) | Trail Blazers vs. Atlanta Hawks | March 13

While Ayton’s performance Wednesday night was one of his best as a Trail Blazer, it’s hardly out of the ordinary these days for the 25 year-old Bahamian. It’s the second time this season that he’s posted at least 30 points and 19 rebounds in a game, something that only he and Nikola Jokic have done.

“Just playing hard, man, approaching the game the way I want to approach it,” said Ayton. “Every night’s a big night playing with these guys and getting to know them and just being out there with them and battling. That’s all I can say, that’s what lead to it to be honest.”

In the three games since returning from missing five games with a hand injury, Ayton is averaging 26.0 points on 57 percent shooting from the field, 17.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 36.5 minutes, making him one of just three players this season who has posted three-straight games of at least 20 points and 15 rebounds.

What’s more, it’s the second-longest such streak in team history, with only Bill Walton putting together a longer run. He’s posted double-doubles in six-straight games and in eight of his last nine appearances and is averaging 22.4 points on 62 percent shooting and 14.6 rebounds. In short, the man who calls himself “DominAyton” is, well, dominating.

“I feel like coming into these games, I’m trying to do everything,” said Ayton. “Not only do my requirements, my role for this team, but do a lot more. That’s where I’m at. I’m more dominant. People like to laugh at it but it’s the truth.”

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Deandre Ayton Postgame Interview | Portland Trail Blazers 106, Atlanta Hawks 102

After an up-and-down start to his career in Portland, much of which can be attributed to injuries, Ayton has looked every bit like the franchise center the Trail Blazers hoped he would be when they acquired the top overall pick of the 2018 Draft from the Phoenix Suns prior to the start of the season. While the stakes are a bit low this season as the Trail Blazer prioritize development rather than wins, the way Ayton has played as of late is reason to believe the big man variable of the rebuild equation is fixed.

“I just be trying to bust that ass. That’s about it,” said Ayton. “Whether I look like the bad guy or not, I’m trying to be great. I’m trying to be a winner in this league. I’m trying to be known as that guy. If you’re around me, you’re going to learn how to win.”

Anfernee Simons finished Wednesday’s win with 36 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal in 42 minutes. Dalano Banton added 12 points, five rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes. Kris Murray finished with nine points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block and Matisse Thybulle contributed eight points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 32 minutes.

Next up, the Trail Blazers host the Knicks Thursday night in the second game of a back-to-back and the last game of a six-game homestand. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Deandre Ayton Using The Hating To Fuel The Dominating

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Deandre Ayton Highlights (30 PTS, 19 REBS) | Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors | March 9

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Deandre Ayton Postgame Interview | Portland Trail Blazers 128, Toronto Raptors 118

porjwilliamson

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Deandre Ayton Highlights (26 PTS) | Trail Blazers vs. Hornets | Feb. 25

PORTLAND -- It took a bit of time, but we’re finally starting to see the best of what Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton has to offer.

After a bit of a slow start to his career in Portland, much of which is likely due to especially poorly-timed injuries, the 7-0 center in his seventh season out of Arizona has been, as he might put it, “dominayton” as of late.

“I’ve been having a lot of fun since I got here, just playing freely, listening to the coaches, playing with guys my age, younger guys than me,” said Ayton after putting up 22 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the field and 16 rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to the Timberwolves at Moda Center. “Just having that dominant feeling of just knowing that my team is depending on me on both ends of the floor, just knowing that I have to show up on every possession.”

After sitting out 12 games with a minor knee injury between the end of 2023 and the start of 2024, Ayton has shown himself to be a force on both ends of the court in the 12 games he’s played since returning to the lineup.

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Deandre Ayton (22 points) Highlights vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

“I’ve been trying to humble myself a little bit and just accept the challenge, have some humility when it comes to failure,” said Ayton. “Not try to rush anything. We’re a young team but we’re an exciting team as well. We just can’t skip no steps and we have to go through these growing pains a little bit where we’re just trying to know each other, really.”

Whether it’s due to better health, both his and that of his teammates, better chemistry with the teams’ guards or an improved understanding of his role and expectations of the coaching staff, Ayton has looked every bit like the player who was selected by the Suns with the top overall pick of the 2018 Draft.

“It just feels good that they’re trusting me now, just trying to find me the best way they can in pockets and in pick-and-rolls, even in dump offs when they’re attacking the rim,” said Ayton. “I truly appreciate this team for just trying to adapt to me and my style of play. Honestly, I’m playing harder for them. You can see the trust and it’s vice versa.”

Between that trust and adaptation, Ayton has averaged 17.8 points on 62 percent shooting from the field, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 blocks in his last 10 games.

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Deandre Ayton Highlights (18 PTS) | Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans | Feb. 10

He’s shooting 73 percent within five feet of the basket, 69 percent within eight feet and 64 percent between 15 and 19 feet during that same span. And he’s shooting 78 percent from the field early in the shot clock and 69 percent late in the shot clock.

“(Ayton) has been playing great, wonderful lately,” said Anfernee Simons. “That’s what we’ve been wanting from him, be that player we know he can be every single night for us. Whether the shots are falling or not, just his presence on defense, rebounds, just be an anchor for us on the defensive end. That’s what we want from him each and every night and I think he’s been stringing together a lot of games for us where he’s there.”

Ayton continuing to build familiarity with his guards, be it Simons, Malcolm Brogdon, Scoot Henderson or Dalano Banton, and bringing consistent, regular effort on both ends of the floor would go a long ways toward laying the bedrock for future seasons with the Trail Blazers. It might not have started off as quickly as anyone would have liked, but there’s still plenty of time to make up for it, both this season and in the future.

“We some young dudes, man,” said Ayton. “I give these dudes a good summer, a good offseason together, we should be solid. Looking forward to winning these games instead of just learning.”

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Ayton Finds Rhythm Since Returning From Injury

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