Avdija’s 41 Sends Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers clinched the West’s No. 7 seed after Deni Avdija erupted for 41 points in the play‑in win that eliminated Phoenix. (x.com) That result removed Portland from play‑in limbo and locked their first‑round slot as the NBA bracket shifted toward the postseason schedule. (sports.yahoo.com)
Deni Avdija scored 41 points Tuesday night, and Portland beat Phoenix 114-110 to grab the Western Conference’s No. 7 playoff seed. (apnews.com) The Trail Blazers erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Avdija put them ahead for good with a three-point play with 16.1 seconds left, according to The Associated Press. (apnews.com) That result moved Portland out of the play-in and into the full playoff bracket, where the National Basketball Association lists the Trail Blazers as the West’s No. 7 seed. (nba.com) The bracket now sends Portland into a first-round series against the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday, April 19, and Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21, according to ESPN’s schedule page. (espn.com) The play-in format gives teams that finish seventh through 10th a shot at the final two playoff spots in each conference, and the winner of the seven-versus-eight game takes the No. 7 seed. (nba.com) Phoenix did not drop straight into the lottery with the loss. ESPN’s schedule shows the Suns hosting the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers-Golden State Warriors game on Friday, April 17, for the West’s No. 8 seed. (espn.com) Portland finished the regular season 42-40, while Phoenix entered the bracket at 45-37, making the Blazers the lower-seeded team in the seven-versus-eight matchup. (nba.com) Now the postseason picture in the West is partly locked: Portland is in, Phoenix gets one more elimination game, and San Antonio can start preparing for the Trail Blazers on April 19. (nba.com)
