Lakers Beat Nuggets 115-107 as Ayton Suffers Eye Injury

The Los Angeles Lakers secured a 115-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night at Ball Arena, but the win came at a cost as starting center Deandre Ayton suffered an eye injury that sidelined him for the second half. The former No. 1 overall pick was inadvertently poked in the eye with about a minute remaining in the second quarter, forcing him to the locker room where he remained for the rest of the game.

Ayton played 15 minutes before the incident, contributing four points and eight rebounds on efficient shooting. He did not return after halftime, with backup Jaxson Hayes stepping in as the starter. In Ayton's absence, the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 22-8 over the final 8:03 of the third quarter, building a lead they maintained to the end. Post-game, Ayton appeared with an eye patch and downplayed the situation, though the full extent of the injury remains unclear. The team has Wednesday off before facing the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

The injury overshadowed what had been a strong stretch for Ayton since joining the Lakers in the offseason. Just two days earlier, on Sunday, he delivered a flawless performance against the Toronto Raptors, scoring 25 points...