Many fans wondered why rookie center Deandre Ayton wasn't in the Phoenix Suns' starting lineup Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The first overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft came off the bench, with Richaun Holmes getting the nod at center instead in yet another ugly loss.
According to Gina Mizell of The Athletic, the 20-year-old rookie was off the starting five because he was dealing with a stomach ailment:
Here's what we've gathered about why Ayton did not start:
*Ayton said he had stomach problems last night.
*Holmes said during postgame that he knew at morning shootaround that he would start.
*Igor said he was surprised Ayton played at all, but Ayton persuaded Coach to play.— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell) December 7, 2018
The 7-foot-1 Deandre Ayton insisted that he should take the court despite his uncomfortable condition, and Ayton recorded the most minutes among the Suns' players as he lasted 27 minutes on the floor. He finished close to a double-double performance with 11 points, eight boards and three assists in a losing effort against Portland.
It was the second consecutive game in which the Suns lacked star Devin Booker, and the productivity of their offense suffered the consequences.
The Suns achieved a milestone that no other team would like to achieve. They became the first team in the shot clock era to score under 10 points in back-to-back first quarters.
The Suns are currently the worst team in the NBA with a record of 4-21. Nothing seems to be going right for the team this season. Instead, they've been able losing in embarrassing fashion game after game.
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