Blazers stun unbeaten Thunder with Avdija’s near triple-double
The Trail Blazers pulled off a shocking comeback Wednesday night, overcoming a 20-point first-quarter deficit to hand the defending champion Thunder their first loss of the season, 121-119.
Portland looked completely outmatched early, falling behind 41-21 after one quarter.
But they refused to quit.
The Blazers dominated the second half, outscoring Oklahoma City 64-54 to complete the improbable turnaround.
Deni Avdija was the engine behind Portland’s stunning victory, finishing just shy of a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. He added 2 steals and a block in his most complete performance of the young season.
“I love this team,” Avdija posted on Instagram after the game, alongside a photo of his celebrating teammates.
The 24-year-old forward has quietly emerged as Portland’s best player this season, averaging a career-high 24.4 points per game through eight contests.
He’s also contributing 6.5 rebounds and playing more minutes (33.4) than ever before in his NBA journey.
This breakthrough performance shouldn’t be surprising to those who’ve followed Avdija’s development. The 9th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has steadily improved since entering the league.
Before joining Portland, Avdija spent four seasons with the Washington Wizards after playing professionally in Israel for Maccabi Tel Aviv. His best season in Washington saw him average 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
The Blazers acquired him during the 2024 offseason in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon (who has since retired), the 14th pick in the 2024 draft (Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-rounder, and two second-round picks.
That trade is looking like a steal for Portland.
Wednesday’s performance marked Avdija’s third near-miss at a triple-double in his career, but the team victory clearly meant more than any personal milestone.
The win improves Portland to a surprising 5-3 record, putting them firmly in the Western Conference playoff conversation.
If Avdija maintains this level of play, he could find himself in serious contention for his first All-Star selection come February.
The Blazers will look to build on their momentum when they travel to Miami to face the Heat on Saturday.
