Avdija's 41‑point push
Portland locked the Western Conference No. 7 seed after Deni Avdija poured in 41 points — he also had 7 rebounds, 12 assists and 2 blocks in the win. (x.com) That victory officially sends the Blazers into the first round and set up a matchup that the bracket pages now list as a Round 1 clash with San Antonio. (cbssports.com)
Portland is back in the playoffs after Deni Avdija carried the Trail Blazers past Phoenix in the Western Conference play-in on April 14. (sports.yahoo.com) Avdija finished with 41 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in Portland’s 114-110 win over the Suns, then converted a go-ahead three-point play with 16.1 seconds left. (sports.yahoo.com) The result moved Portland into the West’s No. 7 playoff slot, and bracket listings now show the Blazers opening the first round against the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs. (cbssports.com) That path exists because the National Basketball Association’s play-in tournament sends teams seeded seventh through 10th into a short knockout round after the regular season. The winner of the seven-versus-eight game claims the No. 7 seed immediately. (nba.com) Portland finished the regular season 42-40, tied in the standings range where a play-in game was required, while San Antonio went 62-20 to secure the West’s No. 2 seed. (espn.com) For the Blazers, the win ends a playoff drought that had lasted since 2021 and gives a young roster a first full postseason series instead of a second elimination game. (sports.yahoo.com) For Avdija, the night capped a breakout year in Portland after he arrived from Washington and became a central scorer, passer and transition threat. Yahoo Sports described Tuesday as his postseason debut, and he answered with the biggest scoring game of his career. (sports.yahoo.com) The bracket is now simple: Portland survived the one game it had to win, and Avdija’s 41-point night turned that into a first-round date with San Antonio. (cbssports.com)
