Not excited! Should the Lakers still find ways to mobilize the enthusiasm of the inside pillars on the court?

In the previous NBA regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Charlotte Hornets 121-111. After this game, the Lakers, who have won 5 of the last 6 games, have improved their record to 8-3, and continue to rank 4th in the Western Conference; while the Hornets, who have suffered 3 consecutive losses, have dropped to 3-7, and continue to rank 12th in the Eastern Conference.

Although the Lakers won a victory in this game, the team's starting center DeAndre Ayton obviously did not perform at his best. Ayton played 32 minutes and 56 seconds, made 7 of 10 shots, and scored 14 points and 6 rebounds, including 3 offensive rebounds, 3 turnovers and 2 fouls, with a plus-minus of +2. Ayton did not get enough ball rights and shots on the offensive end. In fact, it can be seen that he is in quite good condition, and it is difficult for opponents to effectively restrict him. However, it is obvious that the team's support for him is very limited. It may also be because he did not get enough performance opportunities on the offensive end, and Ayton's enthusiasm on the defensive end was not fully mobilized, and his defensive contribution did not reach a high level. Overall, although Ayton is in good shape, he is indeed limited by his ball rights and tactical status, and he has indeed not used all his talents.

In the NBA regular season last season, Ayton was affected by injuries in 82 games, making a total of 40 appearances for his old club, the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 30.1 minutes per game. The average data per game is 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1 block, as well as 1.7 turnovers and 2.2 fouls. The shooting percentage is 56.6%, the three-point shooting percentage is 18.8%, and the free throw percentage is 66.7%. In the previous NBA preseason, Ayton played a total of 5 times, averaging 24.1 minutes per game. He averaged 8.8 points, 9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1 steal, and 1.8 blocks per game. He also had 1.8 turnovers and 1.8 fouls. He shot 51.4% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line. Since the start of this season, Ayton has played a total of 10 times in the first 11 games, averaging 30.5 minutes per game. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals and 1 block per game. He also had 2.4 turnovers and 2.8 fouls. He shot 67.5% from the field and 61.1% from the free throw line.

Ayton's overall performance after joining the Lakers is still good, and he can indeed play a role on both offense and defense. However, judging from Ayton's career, he is actually a very emotional player. If Ayton is happy, he can play as a top center in the league, but in an environment that makes him unhappy, the situation will also change significantly. This is also an important factor why he cannot perform well in the Portland Trail Blazers. Ayton did not receive enough tactical support in this game, and his state was not stimulated. This is actually not a good thing. In the next games, the Lakers should still find ways to give Ayton more support to help him build up his self-confidence and perform better. This will definitely be of great help to the team's long-term development.