Deandre Ayton Injury: “He Took a Shot to the Knee”
Deandre Ayton left the game with a knee contusion during the Lakers’ hard-fought win in Salt Lake City. Here are the latest updates
The Lakers’ trip to Salt Lake City took an unexpected turn when Deandre Ayton asked to come out midway through the second quarter. The initial diagnosis is a contusion to his right knee.
JJ Redick explained the decision to sit him:
He took a shot to the leg in the first half and tried to play through it, but as the minutes went by it became harder for him to move the way he needed to. At that point he wasn’t able to return.
JJ Redick
Ayton finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, and a steal in 13 minutes – numbers well below his usual impact. The former No. 1 overall pick, who joined the Lakers after a buyout with Portland and signed a two-year, $16.6 million deal, has been one of the standouts of the Lakers’ new era, averaging over 16 points per game on nearly 70% shooting.
Hayes and Kleber Change the Game
With Ayton out, Redick opened the third quarter with Jaxson Hayes, while Maxi Kleber – who had been on the fringes of the rotation – found himself playing a key role in the most delicate moment of the night.
Austin Reaves described Ayton’s mood after the game:
I’m sure Deandre was frustrated he couldn’t keep going. We missed him, that’s obvious. But we immediately switched to the ‘next-man-up’ mentality, and Maxi really changed the game.
Austin Reaves
And indeed, Kleber scored just 2 points, but those 2 points mattered more than anything else: a dunk with 1:21 left that put the Lakers up by six, stopping Utah’s final push.
Doncic Leads, Reaves Shines, LeBron Finds Rhythm
Luka Doncic dominated across the board with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, despite some sloppiness with 6 turnovers. Reaves recorded a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double.
LeBron James, in his second game of the season, started 1-for-7 but finished with 17 points and 8 assists, showing signs of progress.
Jaxson has already started for us, so it was natural for him to step in. But Maxi gave us huge minutes: physicality, presence, and a massive play with that dunk.
LeBron James
The Lakers now head back to Los Angeles to close their NBA Cup group against the Clippers and Mavericks – two matchups that will define their path in the competition. If the Salt Lake City game was meant to be a test of their resilience, the answer was clear: even on nights when an injury threatens to derail the plan, this team proved it can absorb the blow and find new solutions.