With 6 points (3/3 shooting), 9 rebounds and +/- +10 in 22 minutes, Jock Landale found himself thrust into the media spotlight at the end of Game 3, which saw the Suns come back to 2-1 in the series against the Nuggets.
Presented as the savior who overshadowed the poor performance of Deandre Ayton facing a Nikola Jokic on all fronts, the Australian pivot wanted to denounce the media treatment reserved for his teammate.
“It’s hard for me to just sit there and accept whatever is thrown on DA”, he launched yesterday during his passage in front of the journalists. “ People make him look like a selfish guy who plays terribly badly all the time and hurts the Suns. But it’s Deandre Ayton. For a month, DA has been consistently making 30-point, 20-rebound games for us this season. He’s been the keeper of some key aspects of our game this year so I’m a bit sick of hearing people criticize him all the time. I know it’s part of the job and it’s your job, but it’s also our right to be able to respond. DA has been great for us this season.”
The reflection of a perfect understanding between the two teammates
Jock Landale notably referred to the sequences during which Deandre Ayton accompanied him in his duel against Nikole Jokic, reminding him of the instructions, giving him advice or simply to encourage him. A facet of the Bahamian pivot which is not sufficiently highlighted according to the Australian.
“He has the right to have a game without. We are facing a double MVP at the moment, it is difficult”he added. “He struggles a bit, but at the same time he does so many great things for us. He’s a good guy on the bench, a good guy in the dressing room, there are so many positive things that people seem to leave out and ignore. They only want to talk about the negatives. I know it’s partly to push him to improve, but sometimes he needs to be left alone.
Words coming in addition to his back-up which will be enough to comfort Deandre Ayton, who had also been rather good in his role in the previous series, in the face of a match-up certainly much more favorable. For his part, Jock Landale does not ignite either and intends to stay in his place, ready to come out strong from the bench, as in Game 3.
“It’s done, it’s in the past. It doesn’t matter what happens in the next game. you have to try to approach each of them without any particular expectation, but be ready to face whatever may happen”.
| Jock Landale | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2021-22 | SAN | 54 | 11 | 49.5 | 32.6 | 82.9 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 4.9 |
| 2022-23 | PHX | 69 | 14 | 52.8 | 25.0 | 75.2 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 6.6 |
| Total | 123 | 13 | 51.6 | 28.9 | 77.4 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 5.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
