Deandre Ayton is so excited about playoffs he wants 'to do backflips'
Lakers center Deandre Ayton made it clear how amped up he is about returning to the NBA playoffs.
The previous couple of seasons weren't good ones for Deandre Ayton. During the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, he missed the NBA playoffs as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, and he was criticized for a number of things, including allegedly selfish behavior and a lack of dedication. But with the Los Angeles Lakers , he's about to return to the playoffs, and he can play a big role in the first round against the Houston Rockets, who boast a big lineup that includes two-time All-Star center Alperen Sengun.
Ayton will be needed to not only be a scoring threat, but also to bang hard on the boards and defend the paint. Following practice on Wednesday, he made it clear how excited he is for the playoffs to start. “You’re thinking about the environment, you think about the fans, thinking about the first game as a Laker in the playoffs,” Ayton said.
“So, I just try to find some time to catch myself and gather and just relax. I’ve been here before, but I am truly excited. I want to do backflips.
I’m in the Purple and Gold, and I just want to really just play hard as hell to contribute to wins. ” In last year's playoffs, the Lakers got destroyed on the boards by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they were very weak at the center position at the time. Now, they have Ayton, who has career averages of 15.