Deandre Ayton turned in a strong performance in Sunday’s 133-121 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The 7-foot center poured in 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting, 12 rebounds, an assist and four blocks in 27 minutes of action. Thanks in part to Ayron’s noteworthy play, the Lakers were able to secure their seventh straight win.
Ayton, however, was forced to exit the game in the fourth quarter due to a knee injury. The 27-year-old was forced to sit out against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday due to an issue on the same knee, and it appears that he may have aggravated the injury on Sunday night.
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LeBron James sat out against the Pelicans for rest purposes. This was not an issue at all for the Lakers, with Luka Doncic (34 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists) and Austin Reaves (33 points, five rebounds, eight assists) once again going off to lead L.A. to victory.
Ayton, whose recent MRI on his right knee came back clean, was pivotal in the win as well, but the former No. 1 overall pick could potentially be forced to miss time again if this knee injury turns out to be a significant concern.
Ayton, who signed a two-year, $16.2 million contract with the Lakers during the offseason, suffered the injury after being kneed in the right kneecap by Pelicans rookie Derick Queen. Ayton asked to exit the game after the play and was seen limping toward the bench.
Ayton calls for a sub after tweaking his knee 💔 pic.twitter.com/4GE6buJjTQ
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) December 1, 2025
Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented on Ayton’s status after the game. While Redick was not able to provide any details on the injury, the Lakers coach revealed that Ayton was in “terrific spirits” inside the locker room after the win. It remains to be seen, however, if Ayton will be forced to sit out because of this knee issue.
It is worth noting that the Lakers play again on Monday night. They face the 12-9 Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena on the second night of a back-to-back set. L.A. improved to 15-4 after Sunday’s win, and it will be looking to keep it going on Monday against Ayton’s former team.
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