<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-call-deandre-ayton-martin-scorsese-lebron-james-cinema-76ers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Call Deandre Ayton Martin Scorsese because he thought Lakers’ LeBron James was cinema vs. 76ers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lakers-LeBron-James.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Call Deandre Ayton Martin Scorsese because he thought Lakers’ LeBron James was cinema vs. 76ers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-08T10:29:04-08:00">December 8th, 10:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-08T10:29:04-08:00">December 8th, 10:29am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Lakers All-Star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-reaction-stepping-up-76ers">LeBron James’ jumpshot with 27.4 seconds left</a> helped seal a 112-108 win against the Philadelphia 76ers, as Deandre Ayton was in awe of what he witnessed. James finished with 29 points on 12-of-17 attempts, including four threes, seven rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block.</p><p>After the win, Ayton compared James’ <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1997880604738609611" rel="noopener">performance to watching cinema</a>, he said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.</p><p>“It was just me watching a movie, honestly. It was a GOAT moment,” Ayton said. “He had his moment. The fans felt him. Just let that marinate and the fans were loving it. I was loving, s***. I had to stop celebrating from watching. So, I don’t miss nothing.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“It was just me watching a movie” – Deandre Ayton on playing with LeBron James when he took over in the 4th Q in Philadelphia <a href="https://t.co/kACnjRyweL">pic.twitter.com/kACnjRyweL</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1997880604738609611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>LeBron James’ performance in Sunday’s Lakers win is undoubtedly his standout performance of the season, thus far. It’s only the second time he’s scored 25+ points. However, his overall game, including four threes on one end of the floor and a block and a steal, on the other, gave fans glimpses of prime LeBron.</p><p>Ayton finished with 14 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting, 12 rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal. The Lakers improved to 17-6.</p><h2><b>Deandre Ayton baffled by Lakers’ JJ Redick’s postgame comments</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lakers-Deandre-Ayton.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images </figcaption></figure><p>After beating the 76ers on Sunday, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-baffled-jj-redicks-praise-about-defense">Lakers center Deandre Ayton was baffled by JJ Redick</a>. Ayton appreciated the high praise from his head coach about Deandre’s defense.</p><p>However, Ayton <a href="https://twitter.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1997888264389423433" rel="noopener">didn’t know what he did</a> to deserve Redick’s postgame shoutout, he said, per Oh No He Didn’t’s X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“[I will] be real: I don’t know what [Redick] is talking about. I don’t even know. I was asking ‘What do you mean?’ I just do what I have to do. I thank him, but I ain’t know what I did out there,” Ayton said</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deandre Ayton when asked about his defensive effort:</p><p>"I'mma be real: I don't know what (JJ) talking about. I don't know. I just do what I have to do. I thank him but I ain't know what I did out there" <a href="https://t.co/c6YWj4jMFo">pic.twitter.com/c6YWj4jMFo</a></p><p>— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) <a href="https://twitter.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1997888264389423433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Perhaps Redick was alluding to the fact that the Lakers held 76ers’ Joel Embiid to 16 points on 4-of-21 attempts, including 0-for-6 from deep.</p><p>The Lakers will host the Spurs in the NBA Cup’s quarter-final on Wednesday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Call Deandre Ayton Martin Scorsese because he thought Lakers’ LeBron James was cinema vs. 76ers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-baffled-jj-redicks-praise-about-defense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Deandre Ayton left baffled by JJ Redick’s praise about his defense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Deandre-Ayton-on-Dec.-7-2025-2.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Deandre Ayton left baffled by JJ Redick’s praise about his defense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-08T09:18:55-08:00">December 8th, 9:18am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-08T09:18:55-08:00">December 8th, 9:18am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-lebron-james-reaction-stepping-up-76ers">Los Angeles Lakers closing out the Philadelphia 76ers</a> on Sunday night, 112-108, it came with a solid defensive effort, with even head coach JJ Redick shouting out center Deandre Ayton for his performance. As<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-deandre-ayton-take-la-start"> teammates of the Lakers’ big man in Ayton has called him amazing</a> for his season thus far, the 27-year-old would downplay his outing in response to his head coach.</p><p>In the win over the 76ers, Ayton would record 14 points on a perfect shooting night of making all seven attempts from the field to go along with 12 rebounds and a +10 on the court. However, when Redick praised his defensive outing, Ayton didn’t understand it, <a href="https://x.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1997888264389423433?s=46" rel="noopener">though he thanked him for the praise.</a></p><p>“[I will] be real: I don’t know what (Reddick) is talking about. I don’t even know. I was asking ‘What do you mean?’ I just do what I have to do. I thank him, but I ain’t know what I did out there,” Ayton said, according to the account “Oh No He Didn’t” on X, formerly Twitter.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deandre Ayton when asked about his defensive effort:</p><p>"I'mma be real: I don't know what (JJ) talking about. I don't know. I just do what I have to do. I thank him but I ain't know what I did out there" <a href="https://t.co/c6YWj4jMFo">pic.twitter.com/c6YWj4jMFo</a></p><p>— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) <a href="https://twitter.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1997888264389423433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Lakers’ JJ Redick shouts out Deandre Ayton’s defensive outing</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Deandre-Ayton-on-Dec.-7-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-passes-nikola-jokic-all-time-list-unreal-stat-line-vs-76ers">unreal performance from Luka Doncic for the Lakers against the 76ers</a>, recording 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, it would be the defense of the team that stifled Philadelphia when it mattered. Redick would point that out during his press conference after the game, especially pointing out Ayton’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MiTqDRi8NQ&amp;t=105s" rel="noopener">“disruptive” play.</a></p><p>“We gave up 60 points in the first half, and then to come back in the second half and defend the way we did was awesome,” Redick said. “And I thought DA, in particular, led on that end of the floor for us. We just talked about it in the locker room; he did a ton of stuff.</p><p>“He was in drop being disruptive,” Redick continued. “He was getting loose balls. He was blocking shots. He was switching on to [Tyrese] Maxey. Just whatever we needed him to do on that end of the floor in the second half, he was great.”</p><p>At any rate, Ayton and Los Angeles continue to keep it going with the team at 17-6 with their next game on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Deandre Ayton left baffled by JJ Redick’s praise about his defense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-deandre-aytons-stand-by-me-shenanigans-show-vibes-immaculate');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Austin Reaves, DeAndre Ayton’s ‘Stand By Me’ shenanigans show vibes are immaculate');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lakers.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Austin Reaves, DeAndre Ayton’s ‘Stand By Me’ shenanigans show vibes are immaculate</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-01T08:27:11-08:00">December 1st, 8:27am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-01T08:27:11-08:00">December 1st, 8:27am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-austin-reaves-show-totally-unstoppable-right-now">The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t just winning</a>, they’re enjoying every second of it. After their latest 133-121 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, the atmosphere inside the locker room looked less like a business-only playoff contender and more like a team in rhythm, in sync, and having fun.</p><p>And the moment that perfectly captured that energy? DeAndre Ayton hijacking the <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1995368237266247986" rel="noopener">aux cord and blasting</a> “Stand By Me” at full volume.</p><p>As reporters entered the room, Austin Reaves was mid-chorus, belting the song dramatically while Ayton, smiling ear to ear, leaned back like a DJ in total command. Reaves tried to answer a question, but the second the music swelled again, he broke into laughter, unable to hold composure.</p><p>It was lighthearted. It was chaotic. And it told the story: the vibes in Los Angeles are immaculate.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">**Listen for Austin Reaves in the back** <a href="https://t.co/nxpTcfTbTW">https://t.co/nxpTcfTbTW</a> <a href="https://t.co/E02SXyLjkU">pic.twitter.com/E02SXyLjkU</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1995368730004721699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>When asked about both the win and the sudden musical takeover, Ayton didn’t miss a beat. “I take care of the defensive end, and they take care of the offensive end pretty good,” he said with a grin, nodding toward Reeves still singing behind him.</p><p>Fun aside, the Lakers’ on-court dominance is no joke. They now sit at 15-4, currently riding a seven-game winning streak, and their growing chemistry is beginning to look like something more dangerous than talent; it’s confidence.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-absolutely-off-wild-first-quarter-pelicans">Luka Dončić once again led the way</a> with another historic performance: 34 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, marking his sixth consecutive game with at least 30-5-5, the longest such streak in Lakers history.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-skip-bayless-austin-reaves-the-greatest-undrafted-nba-player">Reaves continued his ascent as the perfect complementary engine,</a> reading defenses, spacing the floor, and stepping into timely scoring bursts.</p><p>This Lakers team doesn’t look stiff, pressured, or searching for identity. They look loose. They look connected. They look like a group that genuinely enjoys playing for and with each other.</p><p>Winning will always matter. But when winning meets chemistry? That’s when a season turns into something special.</p><p>And right now? The Lakers are playing like a team that plans to keep the music and the streak going.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Austin Reaves, DeAndre Ayton’s ‘Stand By Me’ shenanigans show vibes are immaculate

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-shrug-off-pelicans-injury-scare');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers’ Deandre Ayton dismisses injury concerns after knocking knees in Pelicans game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Lakers-center-DeAndre-Ayton-vs-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers’ Deandre Ayton dismisses injury concerns after knocking knees in Pelicans game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-01T08:26:53-08:00">December 1st, 8:26am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-01T08:26:53-08:00">December 1st, 8:26am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-austin-reaves-show-totally-unstoppable-right-now">Los Angeles Lakers breathed easier on Sunday night</a> after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-upgrade-injury-report-nba-cup-mavericks">DeAndre Ayton brushed aside a late-game injury scare</a> against the New Orleans Pelicans, knocking knees with Derik Queen in the fourth quarter before walking off with trainers. It looked tense in real time. It looked like another setback for a player who recently missed time with an injury. But Ayton ended the night with clarity, calm, and a message Lakers fans <a href="https://x.com/mcten/status/1995370179006759256" rel="noopener">needed to hear</a>. “It cooled down … I’m good now,” he told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He added, “JJ said he was gonna sub me out regardless, so it was good timing and cool down after the game.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deandre Ayton on knocking knees late in the game: “It cooled down … I’m good now” <a href="https://t.co/CYKKMb5wPf">pic.twitter.com/CYKKMb5wPf</a></p><p>— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1995370179006759256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>DeAndre Ayton’s quick dismissal of the concern felt like a lift for a team that has battled depth issues all season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jaxson-hayes-growing-pains-truth-bomb-defense">In fact, his presence stabilizes the Lakers’ interior sets</a>, their rebounding patterns, and the timing of their defensive rotations. He protects space and cleans the glass. He also gives their offense a vertical threat that opponents must respect. Even a brief absence would have shifted the tone of a night the Lakers were controlling.</p><h2>Lakers keep rolling as Ayton shrugs off scare</h2><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-absolutely-off-wild-first-quarter-pelicans">Lakers won over the Pelicans, 133–121</a>. Ayton finished with 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting, went perfect at the line, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked four shots. With that,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jj-redicks-pizza-analogy-will-make-you-hungry-hyped-for-more-la-dominance"> the Lakers now sit at 15–4, second in the West, riding a seven-game winning streak</a> that’s pushing their confidence higher each night. And while his impact echoed through the box score, his postgame update may have mattered even more.</p><p>As it turned out, the late collision didn’t linger. The swelling didn’t rise. The concern didn’t grow. DeAndre Ayton walked out steady, smiling, and sounding like someone who didn’t feel an injury scare at all. Now, that next challenge arrives quickly. The Lakers face the Suns next, and Ayton is expected to play.</p><p>So the question shifts to the fans: if he stays healthy and this streak keeps stretching, how high can the Lakers push this run?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers’ Deandre Ayton dismisses injury concerns after knocking knees in Pelicans game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-luka-doncic-deandre-ayton-take-la-start');   ga('set', 'title', 'Luka Doncic drops ‘amazing’ Deandre Ayton take amid Lakers’ 14-4 start');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG_0358.jpeg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Luka Doncic drops ‘amazing’ Deandre Ayton take amid Lakers’ 14-4 start</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-29T16:12:55-08:00">November 29th, 4:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-29T16:12:55-08:00">November 29th, 4:12pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers have been rolling to start the 2025-26 season. With their latest win, 129-119 against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, the Lakers improved to 14-4 and have won six consecutive games. A major reason for the Lakers’ strong start to the season has been Deandre Ayton. Following the Lakers’ win against the Mavericks, Luka Doncic spoke about the importance of Ayton’s presence on the court.</p><p>“He’s been amazing for us the whole season. . .he’ll keep doing what he does. Sometimes I need to get him more looks. But the way he plays on both ends of the floor is amazing. I really appreciate him,” Doncic said. “You just got to talk to him. At the end of the day, when you talk to him, he feels secure. He’s been playing amazing. He just needs to keep doing what he does, he’s helping us win every game.”</p><p>The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-kendrick-perkins-deandre-ayton-diva-cancer-labels">Deandre Ayton’s addition the Lakers wasn’t without some concerns</a>. But to this point, Ayton has been nothing short of spectacular for the Lakers, thriving in his role as the team’s starting center and anchor of the defense.</p><p>Ayton returned against the Mavericks after a one-game absence due to a knee issue. He finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocked shots in 36 minutes of play. He missed only one shot, going 8-of-9 from the field. And it <a href="https://x.com/LALPerformance/status/1994645860479606949" rel="noopener">wasn’t just being spoon-fed</a> off passes from the Lakers’ elite playmakers either.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">DEANDRE AYTON TONIGHT:<br>17PTS<br>8REB<br>2AST<br>2BLKS<br>1STL <a href="https://t.co/p4fTIZPBi7">pic.twitter.com/p4fTIZPBi7</a></p><p>— Laker Performances (@LALPerformance) <a href="https://twitter.com/LALPerformance/status/1994645860479606949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Earlier in the day following Lakers’ shootaround, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-ayton-fires-back-no-defense-critics">Ayton was bewildered over being asked about his defense</a>, considering his detractors have often criticized his defensive effort over the years.</p><p>Ayton began his NBA career with the Phoenix Suns, helping them make a run to the NBA Finals in the 2020-21 season. He played five seasons with the Suns before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. After two seasons with the Blazers, Ayton agreed to a contract buyout, paving the way for him to join the Lakers.</p><p>It was painfully obvious that the Lakers needed an upgrade in the frontcourt after their disappointing playoff flameout last season. So far, Ayton has been exactly that. He’s appeared in 16 game to this point at a little over 29 minutes per game He’s been averaging 15.6 points, and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 70.7 percent from the field.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
15.5	8.4	0.9	0.9	0.7

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
15.5	8.4	0.9	0.9	0.7

Deandre Ayton

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