The Phoenix Suns’ meltdown in last season’s Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks was highlighted by a sideline confrontation between Monty Williams and Deandre Ayton.
With Phoenix down 70-32 early in the third quarter, Williams substituted backup big man Bismack Biyombo for Ayton, who sat for the remainder of the game and finished with five points and four rebounds. After Ayton returned to the bench, he appeared to have a heated confrontation with Williams, per reports.
While speaking with reporters at the Suns’ first practice this week, Ayton revealed him and Williams haven’t spoken since Game 7.
“I haven’t spoken to him at all, ever since the game,” Ayton explained. “I can show him better than I can tell him. It’s life. Nobody cares about the uncomfortable nature of it, it’s how you perform and what you bring to the table. What’s said is already said.”
According to ESPN, Williams addressed the brutal loss during a team dinner on Monday night. “So much has been made of Game 7 but we addressed that last night as a team,” Williams said. “I put it to bed last night.”
Meanwhile, Monty also said he believed that him and Ayton would put their issues behind them.
“He’s just too good of a player, and he’s a good dude,” Williams said. “There’s times where you bump heads on certain issues, but that doesn’t define a person in totality. And I think sometimes that stuff just gets blown out of proportion and rightfully so, when you don’t know all the facts.”
