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By Justin Grasso
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Los Angeles Lakers went down a key player on Sunday night. In their matchup against the Utah Jazz, Deandre Ayton collided with the Utah Jazz star rookie, Ace Bailey. He left the game, and was questionable to return with a knee contusion.
Eventually, the Lakers decided to call it a night for Ayton. After he was ruled out for the remainder of the game, the Lakers rolled with the backup Jaxson Hayes to start in Ayton’s place during the second half.
After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick addressed Ayton’s in-game setback with reporters. Other than addressing what caused the setback, Redick didn't have an immediate update on the diagnosis or the state of Ayton currently.
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Ayton totaled 13 minutes of action on Sunday. During his short shift, he went just 1-2 from the field to score two points. He had three rebounds and one steal. Ayton finished the game as a minus-4. Fortunately, the Lakers managed to take care of business in his absence.
Jaxson Hayes played for 18 minutes on Sunday. He went 2-2 from the field and knocked down his only free throw to finish the game with five points. He also had four rebounds, and one assist. Redick was also complimentary of Maxi Kleber, who played for 14 minutes in the matchup.
The Lakers were in a tight battle with the Jazz throughout the night, but LA sealed the deal with a 108-106 win. They advanced to 12-4 on the year.
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Ayton continues to be a name to watch for the Lakers. Leading up to Sunday’s action between the Lakers and the Jazz, Ayton was on the injury report as he was dealing with an illness. The Lakers held a Saturday practice session, which didn’t include Ayton. However, JJ Redick made it clear ahead of Sunday’s game he would play.
Prior to Sunday’s game, Ayton missed just one matchup for the Lakers. He was ruled out for the November 2 matchup against the Miami Heat. He played in the following eight games. In all 14 of his appearances this year, Ayton started for the Lakers.
LA’s offseason acquisition averaged 30.4 minutes of action, making nearly 70 percent of his shots from the field. He started the season by posting averages of 16.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and nearly one block per game.
The 27-year-old former first-overall pick is looking to bounce back after an underwhelming run with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers picked up Ayton in free agency back in July with a reported two-year deal.
The Lakers will be back in action on Tuesday for an NBA Cup group game against the Los Angeles Clippers. It’s unclear if Ayton will get the nod to play.
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