Deni Avdija put the Portland Trail Blazers on his shoulders in a play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, delivering key late baskets to secure the No. 7 seed in the playoffs and set up a first-round series against the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs.
Seen as the massive underdog in the series, the Blazers will have their hands full against the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs, but Avdija pointed out a possible weakness that the team could pounce on.
According to Avdija, the Spurs will also enter the series with zero playoff experience, just like most of the Blazers’ young core, led by him, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe.
“They are a great team. Very talented. They’re young too so they don’t have a lot of playoff experience as well,” Avdija said during the NBA on Prime Nightcap broadcast. “It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a fight. We’re going to bring everything we got.”
“I really believe in the guys. We can do whatever we want if we stay connected. We’ll be ready to play,” he added.
“They’re young too so they don’t have a lot of playoff experience as well. It’s gonna be a fight”
Avdija had 41 points on an efficient 15-of-22 shooting from the field and 15 assists to lead the Blazers against the Suns, which now faces a do-or-die situation for the No. 8 seed against the winner of the LA Clippers-Golden State Warriors play-in game.
The Blazers also got crucial contributions from their veteran players, such as Jerami Grant, who hit clutch triples against the Suns, Jrue Holiday, and Robert Williams, all of whom have experienced deep playoff runs.
For the Spurs, the only player with considerable playoff experience is De’Aaron Fox. However, the team remained potent with players such as Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Dylan Harper.
Deni Avdija Shows Clutch Genes In Play-in Win Over Suns
GettyDeni Avidja shoes clutch genes in Portland Trail Blazers’ win over the Phoenix Suns in the play-in tournament.
Deni Avdija has emerged as a star for the Blazers this season, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
Against the Suns, he had the ball in his hands down the stretch, breaking down the Suns’ defense en route to crucial baskets late.
According to Avdija, the win showed the growth of the team in pressure-packed moments.
“I think back to the beginning of the season, we weren’t very disciplined at staying together and finishing games,” he said.
“I feel like we showed character today. We showed growth, we showed character, we showed we were capable of keeping our composure and making winning plays.”
Against the Spurs, Avdija, who is 25 years old, will finally be in his first playoff series after lackluster stints with the Washington Wizards over his first few years in the league.
Blazers-Spurs Playoffs Schedule
GettyPortland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs face off in the NBA playoffs.
The Blazers and the Spurs will open their first-round series on Sunday, April 19, at 6 p.m. Eastern time in San Antonio.
Game 2 will then be on Tuesday, April 21, before the Blazers get to play on their home court for Game 3 and Game 4 on April 24 and 26.
If needed, Game 5 will be in San Antonio on Tuesday, April 28, and Game 6 will be in Portland on April 30. Game 7 would be on May 2 in San Antonio.
Deni Avdija Points Out Key Facet For Upset-Seeking Blazers vs. Spurs