Portland secured a place in the NBA playoffs on Sunday night, defeating Sacramento 122-110 in its regular-season finale behind a standout performance from Israeli forward Deni Avdija.
The Trail Blazers (40-42) entered the game needing a win to lock up the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and delivered against a short-handed Kings team that rested several key players. The victory ensured Portland’s return to the playoffs, where it will face second-seeded San Antonio (62-20), led in part by Victor Wembanyama.
Avdija led the way with 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in 33 minutes. The Israeli forward shot 9 of 19 from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range, and added two free throws, helping Portland establish control early and maintain it throughout.
He is now set to become the first Israeli to appear in an NBA playoff game, pending his participation in the upcoming series. Omri Casspi, who played 588 regular-season games in his NBA career, never appeared in the playoffs. Avdija, with 425 games, had been among the active players highest on that list.
Portland secured the tiebreaker over the Los Angeles Clippers, with whom it finished level in the standings, thanks to a better record against Western Conference opponents.
Phoenix (37-45), which finished the season in the middle of the Western Conference standings, failed to translate its star power into consistent results. The team, led by Devin Booker along with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, struggled with injuries and inconsistency throughout the season. Booker averaged 26.1 points per game but has also dealt with an ankle issue.
In another game, fellow Israeli and rookie guard Ben Saraf scored 15 points in Brooklyn’s 136-101 loss to Toronto, closing his debut NBA season on a positive personal note.
Saraf shot 6 of 10 from the field and added three rebounds, four assists and two steals in 26 minutes, marking his fifth straight game with at least 15 points. He remained in the starting lineup under coach Jordi Fernandez.
Toronto pulled away in the second quarter and extended its lead throughout the second half. RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 26 points and Brandon Ingram added 25, while Tyson Etienne scored 20 for Brooklyn.
The Nets finished the season 20-62, while Toronto (46-36) secured the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Injured Israeli forward Danny Wolf did not play.