In the middle of a packed NBA schedule, the Portland Trail Blazers were granted a rare break: three consecutive days without a game. It marked only the fourth time this season the team had more than two days off, giving coach Tiago Splitter a chance to hold a full practice at the team facility in Tualatin.
As expected, the focus of that practice was Deni Avdija. The Israeli forward returned to the court late Sunday night after missing three games with a lower back strain and delivered a standout performance in a 117–110 road win over the Sacramento Kings. Avdija logged 32 minutes, scored 30 points and added eight assists and eight rebounds, helping Portland secure its 10th win in the past 13 games.
Two days later, Avdija offered an encouraging update on his condition.
“I’m going to say that I felt pretty solid physically,” he said. “My back was a little sore just because I didn’t play for a week. I had to get my rhythm back a little bit. I think even in crunch time I felt like I was a little sloppy, but other than that I feel like I’m in a good pace. The medical and coaching staff did a great job, and yeah, I’m ready to continue playing.”
Asked if he feels fully back now, Avdija said he is improving and making adjustments. “Definitely extra stretches,” he said with a smile. “Take my vitamins, sleep in different positions.” He admitted he has been a stomach sleeper his entire life. “That’s something I needed to change for sure,” he said.
Another topic that came up was the All-Star voting. Avdija was not selected as a starter, but finished fifth in the fan vote and seventh overall in the Western Conference when combining votes from fans, players and coaches.
“I mean, those are really great players with big names in the league,” Avdija said. “They’ve done a lot of good things. I’m just focusing on winning and being a good teammate. Whatever is going to come with it is going to come with it. Obviously I wanted to be a starter, but it’s all good and I don’t trip about it.”
Reflecting on the fan support, he added: “First of all, shout out to the fans for showing me a lot of love. I wasn’t expecting that amount of votes, but it really warms my heart to see how much support I get around the world.”
In a social media post, Avdija addressed Israeli fans directly, writing: “I have no words. Thank you, people of Israel, for what you’re doing. You’re helping me make dreams come true. I love you.”
Beyond the individual recognition, the win in Sacramento brought Portland’s record back to .500 at 22–22. Avdija said the team believes it is capable of more.
“I believe we’re better than .500,” he said. “We had a lot of injuries and a lot of incidents throughout the season, and we also didn’t have an easy schedule. But nobody cares about excuses. We figured it out. We stayed strong, we stayed together, and that’s what matters. I’m very proud of the team.”
Avdija also spoke about rookie Caleb, praising his confidence and impact. “Caleb is huge for us,” he said. “He’s a rookie, still figuring things out, but he’s doing a tremendous job. He has great habits, a great attitude, and a lot of potential. He’s not scared. Even if he misses 20 shots, I still want him to take the 21st.”
With injured teammates returning to the lineup, Avdija believes the team can take another step forward. “Their experience and level of play bring maturity and spark,” he said. “Everybody stepped up to cover for each other, and now that they’re back, we’re going to be even better.”
For now, Avdija said the brief rest came at the right time. “We needed it,” he said. “Those couple of days to work on our offense, sharpen our defense and feel more confident are good for us.”