Bench Rising to Occasion in Deandre Ayton's Absence

The Phoenix Suns have already won five out of their first six games this season, but staying healthy has been the hard part.

After landing awkwardly on his foot in a game against the Pelicans on Friday, center Deandre Ayton is expected to miss at least a week with a sprained left ankle.

With Ayton being out, the Suns will certainly miss his offensive production as before the injury, the 24-year-old was averaging 15.4 points, good enough for second most on the team only behind Devin Booker.

On the defensive side of the ball, Ayton was the team's rock in the paint and a beast on the boards, averaging the most rebounds on the team with 8.2.

Being a championship contender, the Suns have no time to waste and despite losing one of their best players, they must adopt the "next man up" mentality until Ayton is fully healthy to step back on the court.

“I mean, it is very important, even when he is in,” Booker said on the bench stepping up.

“We are going to need them. I think we understand the importance of having a deep roster and deep team. You know it has been successful for us in the past couple of years. We need to stick with it. Those guys have been working, before practice and after practice they get together as a unit. They are going at it full speed.”

In the first game without Ayton, the Suns did not miss a beat. In the 124-109 win, the Suns started Bismack Biyambo at center, who put up five points and five rebounds in 22 minutes.

It was Jock Landale who was the most impressive last night, however.

Off the bench, Landale put up an impressive 16 points, and seven rebounds in 23 minutes. Thus far the new addition has surprised and impressed everyone on the team.

“It’s so valuable,” Suns point guard Chris Paul said. “The energy and pace he plays with, he gives himself up so much. There are so many plays that Jock, (Deandre Ayton), and (Bismack Biyombo)- a lot of the open threes we get is because of their selflessness in the way that they roll and the way that they run the floor.”

The win against the Rockets might have sparked some excitement but it will surely not be easy for the Suns to go on for potentially multiple weeks without their star center.

They will have to continue to rely and trust on Biyombo and Landale to fill Ayton's shoes the best they can. So far, it's worked out pretty well.

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