Deni Avdija Dropped 41 and Hit the Dagger Three-Point Play to Send Portland to the Playoffs for the First Time Since 2021
Deni Avdija had never played in an NBA postseason game. Five-plus years in the league, bouncing from Washington to Portland, stuck on teams that never sniffed the playoffs. All that waiting ended Tuesday night in Phoenix, and he made sure nobody would forget it.
Avdija scored 41 points on 15-of-22 shooting, added 12 assists and seven rebounds, and led the Portland Trail Blazers back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Phoenix Suns 114-110 and clinch the No. 7 seed in the West. The Blazers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, and Avdija is the reason.
“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career so far,” Avdija said after the game.
The Fourth-Quarter Comeback Was Insane
Phoenix led by 11 in the fourth and looked like they had this thing wrapped up. The Suns had home court, they had the crowd, and they were playing for their lives just like Portland was. But Avdija just wouldn’t let it happen.
He spearheaded a 17-5 Blazers run that flipped the entire game. The dagger came with 16.1 seconds left. Jordan Goodwin had just given Phoenix a 110-109 lead with a driving layup, and it felt like the Suns were about to steal it. But Avdija took the ball, drove hard to the basket, finished through contact, and hit the free throw for a three-point play that put Portland up 112-110.
Phoenix got one more chance. Goodwin grabbed an offensive rebound on the Suns’ next possession, but Matisse Thybulle stripped the ball to seal it. Blazers ball game.
Avdija Joined Some Serious Company
With 41 points, Avdija became only the fifth player ever to score 40-plus in a Play-In game. The list: Jayson Tatum (50 for Boston in 2021), Coby White (42 for Chicago in 2024), Zion Williamson (40 for New Orleans in 2024), Anthony Davis (40 for Dallas in 2025), and now Avdija. That’s elite company for a 25-year-old who was a first-time All-Star this season and spent most of his career being overlooked.
Jrue Holiday added 21 points and couldn’t stop talking about his teammate after the game. “Nobody does what he does,” Holiday said. “Deni coming out here, carrying us, especially down the stretch — this is what we expect from him now.” Then he joked that it was “kind of an off night” for Avdija. Wild.
What’s Next
Portland gets the No. 7 seed and a first-round date with the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs. That’s Wembanyama, the MVP candidate, on the other side of the bracket. It’s going to be a tough draw, but if Avdija keeps playing like this, the Blazers aren’t going to make it easy for anybody.
Blazers coach Tiago Splitter knows what’s coming. The Spurs are going to throw different defensive looks at Avdija, because you can’t let one guy go for 41 and 12 in a playoff series and expect to advance. But that’s a problem for Saturday. Tuesday night belonged to Deni.
Phoenix drops to Friday’s do-or-die game, where they’ll host the winner of Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors matchup. Winner gets the 8-seed and a first-round series against the Thunder. Loser goes home. For the Suns, it’s survive or nothing.
