'My best year so far': Ex-Wildcat Deandre Ayton confident in Suns ahead of playoffs

He doesn’t have back-to-back finals MVPs like Kevin Durant.

He hasn’t made All-NBA first team like Devin Booker or had a historic career like Chris Paul, but Deandre Ayton may prove to be the X-factor in the Phoenix Suns winning their first NBA title this year.

He anchors the defense, is the team’s primary post presence and rebounds.

His screens free up Durant, Booker and Paul and his dives to the rim on pick-and-roll force defenses to make a choice.

Pinch down on Ayton, give up an open backside 3. Stay with the shooters, give up a lob dunk to Ayton, the former star Arizona Wildcat big man-turned-No. 1 overall NBA draft pick.

Averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds in his fifth NBA season, Ayton sat down with The Arizona Republic before the final weekend of the regular season to discuss the season he’s had and the upcoming playoffs.

The Suns (45-37) will be the fourth seed in the West. They closed out the regular season Sunday, falling to the Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) at Footprint Center. That result set up Phoenix to again face the Clippers, now solidified as the fifth seed, in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The series’ first game is set for Sunday at Footprint Center in Phoenix.

Q: What do you think of the position you guys are at the end of the regular season?

Ayton: “I think we’re good. Obviously, there is still more room for improvement, but now it’s just really working on our defense. We know offense. We know we got the tools for offense, but to make that firepower even more, we just need to make sure we have some solid defense just to back up our offense, especially when games don’t go our way or shots aren’t falling. We can rely on our defense to help our offense.”

Q: Durant has been finding you for layups and dunks after you set a screen for him. Is this a wrinkle you saw coming or is this all new to you?

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A: “When you set a screen for a guy like him, and it’s three dudes jumping out on him on a pin down or any type of screen, you tend to be wide open. The paint is going to be open for sure. Just making sure I get a good bump on his guy and knowing that he’s so used to being covered like that. He knows where I’ll be around the rim, and I’ve just got to be ready and alert to catch the ball and to make a play because sometimes it may not be to the rim. I might have to be a playmaker or DHO to the other side to get somebody else going.”

Q: How would you assess your season to date?

A: I think I handled it. I had a lot of mental stamina to where I maintained a better year than I have throughout my years to be honest. Even though it was a lot of ups and downs and a lot of different obstacles like injuries. We were losing this year as well. Trades. I feel like this was the best offensive season for me as far as getting to the free throw line, playing in the pocket, playing with another superstar. Putting up numbers while these dudes are on the court at the same time. It’s kind of crazy that I could do that knowing the type of caliber on this team, the firepower we got. I feel like this is my best year so far when it comes to knowing the game and letting the game come to me. I feet that – and the drives. The drives to the basket.”

Q: When you look at (the playoffs), you play to get here.

A: “Facts.”

Q: How are you feeling right now about postseason?

A: “I’m feeling pretty good. Pretty confident to be honest. Knowing the people behind me, knowing that I’m the anchor of the defense, I feel confident, man. I’m the head honcho when it comes to protecting the rim and being a presence on both ends of the floor. That’s all I’m about. That’s where the confidence is coming from.”

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