NBA Playoffs: 3 players who have enhanced reputation

Players whose stock has risen in the NBA playoffs 1. Deandre Ayton

Make no mistake, Deandre Ayton deserves this moment. The Phoenix Suns are for real, and Ayton should get a lot of credit for that being the case. Booker is the young superstar, while the addition of Chris Paul clearly changed the entire outlook of the organization. Heading into the playoffs, Ayton was the worrying variable, and he has come through in a huge way.

In his first postseason appearance ever, going up against a fit Anthony Davis, Ayton had 21 points and 16 rebounds. As a more traditional center who doesn’t stretch the floor like a lot of modern big men, the thinking was that Ayton would be played off the court, or at the very least be a non-factor come crunch time.

Instead, he was dominant, damaging the Lakers inside every chance he got. This is extremely worrying for the Lakers, who brought Andre Drummond in to provide some beef in the paint. It didn’t matter. For those who argue that the Lakers would have won the series if fully fit, the Houston Rockets would have beaten the Golden State Warriors if Chris Paul didn’t tweak his hamstring.

Injuries happen, you can only play what is in front of you, and Ayton did all of that and more. He went one step better on Monday night, having 20 points and 10 rebounds against presumptive MVP Nikola Jokic as the Suns took a 1-0 series lead. He also kept Jokic to a relatively quiet 22 points himself.

This transformation has been remarkable, as Ayton has had to hear for years how he was not on the same level as Doncic or Young. Taken first overall in the 2018 draft, he has had to bide his time waiting for this moment to come around. No matter what happens from here on out, Ayton has shown that he can be a key player on a franchise with championship aspirations.

The rebirth of the traditional big man started a couple of years back, but Ayton has brought the Renaissance to the next level. He will be an important part of a competitive Suns organization for years to come and has proven he will be able to contribute in a big way when called upon. No other player has had a bigger transformation this postseason.