The Trail Blazers continued their pre-Thanksgiving road swing with a stop in Memphis on Monday night for Game 4 of a five game trip. It didn’t go well. They lost 123-98.
Rob Williams didn’t play in the second half while undergoing tests for a concussion. Jerami Grant left early in the third quarter with a knee injury. Portland shot 8-for-46 from three-point range. Just your general bad game where mostly bad things happened!
BUT... amidst the struggles, Deni Avdija emerged as a bright spot. So let’s stick with that in today’s newsletter. A little positivity for your Tuesday.
Avdija is finding his rhythm, contributing significantly off the bench. His versatility and improved play have been crucial for the Blazers, especially in games where the team faces depth challenges. Avdija’s ability to adapt and fill various roles on the court is becoming increasingly valuable.
In this game, Avdija led the team with 17 points, and addded eight rebounds and six assists. His performance is a testament to his hard work and the Blazers’ efforts to utilize him more effectively.
The larger focus of the franchise remains on incremental improvements and finding ways to maximize the potential of players like Avdija. The road ahead may be bumpy, but there’s plenty of basketball left to play. Portland has used Avdija in small-ball lineups as a de facto center, they’ve let him be a playmaker in transition, giving him opportunity in the middle floor to survey and attack and even drawn up some post touches for him. He has done all that while serving as the team’s most versatile defender on the other end.
He has now had five straight games with at least 12 point and six rebounds. He’s finding his groove and his place in the offense and continuing to add value on defense.
If you’re looking for a bright spot it’s clearly No. 8.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Blazers’ journey, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- Injury updates on key players, including Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson
- Analysis of the Blazers’ shooting struggles
- A poem about Bert Kolde’s Inclusive Leadership (okay this one is a lie, but thanks for reading)
