Deandre Ayton poses a threat to the Warriors’ defense
The Phoenix suns would not be sitting at the top of the NBA food chain with a 58-14 record if it wasn’t for the consistent presence of Deandre Ayton.
Perhaps one of the most underrated bigs in the entire league, Ayton provides exactly the type of interior dominance that the Suns can confidently rely on each night. He’s a walking double-double who has filled in his role alongside Pheonix’s elite perimeter players.
Ayton is averaging a clean 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds on 64.6% shooting from the floor, making him the most efficient 17+ point per game scorer by nearly 10% (Domantas Sabonis is second at 57.3%).
The Warriors will have their hands full trying to stop Ayton because unlike other players on this list, Ayton isn’t the focus of his team’s offense. He’s a safety valve on pick-and-rolls and a lob threat on the weak side.
Stopping Ayton will be more of a side task than a top priority for the Warriors and this makes him a dangerous player who could sway the momentum of a game with a few timely plays.