Avdija’s 41-point explosion
Deni Avdija put up a monster all-around line — 41 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 2 blocks and 3 three-pointers — in Portland’s deciding play-in win, a performance described as total domination. (x.com) That stat line combines scoring, playmaking and defense in one game and was central to Portland closing out Phoenix. (x.com)
Deni Avdija sent Portland into the playoffs on Tuesday night, scoring 41 points in a 114-110 play-in win over Phoenix. (apnews.com) Avdija added 12 assists, seven rebounds and two blocks in his NBA postseason debut on April 14, and he shot 15 for 22 from the field. Portland, the Western Conference No. 8 team, beat the No. 7 Suns in Phoenix to claim the No. 7 seed. (apnews.com) The game turned late. Portland erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Avdija scored the go-ahead three-point play with 16.1 seconds left. (apnews.com) The play-in tournament decides the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference. Under the league’s format, the winner of the No. 7 versus No. 8 game advances directly as the No. 7 seed. (nba.com) That made Tuesday’s game a one-night shot at a playoff berth, not a first-round game. ESPN listed Portland at 42-40 and Phoenix at 45-37 entering the matchup, with the Suns hosting at Footprint Center. (espn.com) For Portland, the performance capped a fast rise for a player it acquired from Washington on July 6, 2024. The Trail Blazers sent Malcolm Brogdon, the draft rights to Bub Carrington, a 2029 first-round pick, and two second-round picks to the Wizards in that deal. (nba.com) Avdija had already moved from promising wing to franchise centerpiece this season. Portland announced on February 1 that he had been selected to his first National Basketball Association All-Star team, the franchise’s first All-Star selection since Damian Lillard in 2023. (nba.com) Tuesday’s box score showed how complete the game was. ESPN credited him with 41 points and 12 assists, while National Basketball Association highlights logged the same scoring and playmaking line in Portland’s win. (espn.com, nba.com) Portland’s reward is a first-round series against San Antonio, according to Yahoo Sports’ live play-in coverage after the game. Avdija opened the postseason by delivering the result Portland needed most: one win, on the road, to skip the elimination round. (sports.yahoo.com)
