Suns at Magic
Rookie Deandre Ayton is beginning to show clearly why he was the No. 1 pick in the draft last June and the 7-1 center hopes to continue his strong play when the Phoenix Suns visit the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. Ayton is averaging 24 points on 67.8 percent shooting along with 16.5 rebounds over the first four of a five-game road trip and boasts eight double-doubles in the past nine contests.
“You’re seeing him put games together,” Phoenix veteran guard Jamal Crawford told the Arizona Republic of Ayton, who averages 16.6 points and 10.9 boards. “Not just games, but quarters together. He’s doing it every single night. That’s a sign of going from good to great.” Ayton recorded 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting and six rebounds against the Magic in a 99-85 setback on Nov. 30 in the middle of a 10-game losing streak for the Suns, who are tied for the worst record in the NBA after losing the last two. Orlando has looked like a playoff team for stretches this season, but it is back in a funk after losing three straight while averaging just 87 points, and coach Steve Clifford told reporters: “Obviously we’ve lost our way here a little bit, which actually happens a lot during an NBA season.” The Magic were technically the home team during victories over Chicago and Utah in Mexico City earlier this month, but has lost 10 of its 16 games overall at Amway Arena in Orlando this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE SUNS (8-26): Guard Devin Booker has also been surging offensively during the road trip and is averaging 29.8 points to go along with eight assists in the last five games since returning from a hamstring injury. Booker leads the team in scoring overall (24.8) and T.J. Warren is second (18.3), but the small forward is coming off a 2-of-11 shooting performance in the 111-103 loss at Brooklyn on Sunday. Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. has made an impression since coming to the team in the Trevor Ariza trade, scoring 13.3 per game and draining 6-of-13 from 3-point range.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (14-18): Center Nikola Vucevic, who leads the team in scoring (20.1) and rebounding (11.8), matched his season low with eight points on 3-of-12 shooting in the 115-91 loss to Miami on Sunday. Forward Aaron Gordon was a bit better in that contest, connecting on 4-of-7 shots, but was 17-of-60 from the field in the previous five and is averaging 11 points the last six games - 4.5 below his season mark. Guard Evan Fournier (15.5 points) has been productive in the last four contests while averaging 19.3 and drained eight 3-pointers the past two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Orlando G Terrence Ross is 6-of-31 from the field the last three games after draining 8-of-9 shots in the team’s last win against Utah.
2. Phoenix F Josh Jackson has scored in double figures 12 of the last 17 games after recording at least 10 in four of the first 17 this season.
3. Magic F Jonathon Simmons, who scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting Sunday, is eight away from reaching 2,000 in his career.