Deandre Ayton's night ended prematurely after he suffered an ankle injury in the Phoenix Suns' game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ayton picked up the injury late in the third quarter of the game. The Suns rookie drove to the basket off a pick-and-roll play with Jamal Crawford, but he left foot awkwardly slipped after making the shot.
While he didn't totally fall, Ayton was obviously hurt and immediately headed to the bench to get his ankle checked. He was then brought to the locker room.
Deandre Ayton was eventually ruled out of the showdown with what the team determined as a left ankle sprain. He ended the game with 17 points, 13 boards and one block in roughly 28 minutes of play.
The extent of Ayton's injury is yet to be determined, but the Suns are expected to be cautious on his recovery. Besides, with the team not really fighting for the playoffs, there's no need for them to rush the rookie big man back.
Phoenix has five games left this season, with their next match against the Cleveland Cavaliers set on April 1, Monday.
Ayton is a walking double-double for the Suns, averaging 16.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He is also shooting 58.4 percent from the field and 74.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Together with Devin Booker, Ayton is seen as an important piece for Phoenix as they continue to rebuild. They are the second-worst team in the NBA record wise, and they will hope to change the narrative come 2019-20.
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