Even the most optimistic people wouldn’t have predicted how well Deandre Ayton would fit with the Lakers.

He mentioned joining the Lakers as an attempt to “prove the world wrong” and he’s more than delivered. Ayton has been a wonderful pick-and-roll player and his play against the Mavericks was a prime example of him being his best self.

Ayton had 17 points on 8-9 shooting along with eight rebounds in the win. After the game, head coach JJ Redick praised Ayton not only for his play but also for his awareness of what is required of him for this team to maximize its potential.

“I had a great conversation with [Ayton] this morning,” Redick said. “It was essentially [that] he’s doing a great job of understanding how the offense is being run and who the offense is being run through and then

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