Deni Avdija turned in one of the finest performances of his NBA career Wednesday night, erupting for a season-high 37 points in Portland’s 115-102 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA In-Season Tournament. While the loss eliminated the Trail Blazers from the tournament, the Israeli forward stole the spotlight with a near-complete game.
Avdija shot 12-of-19 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, and added 8 assists, 6 rebounds, a block, and 6 turnovers in 40 minutes on the floor. His previous season-high was 32 points. His career high, 43 points, came in February 2024 while still with the Washington Wizards.
The 23-year-old came out firing, dropping 9 points in the opening quarter and reaching 18 by halftime. By the end of the third, he had 32, highlighted by a coast-to-coast fast-break dunk that electrified the home crowd. Early in the fourth, Avdija drilled a deep three-pointer to cut the Spurs' lead to 93-91, giving him 35 points and officially surpassing his season best.
But just as the Blazers closed in, their defense collapsed. San Antonio responded with an 8-0 run, sparked by Devin Vassell and De’Aaron Fox, opening a double-digit gap at 101-91 and effectively sealing the game. Despite missing injured stars Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, the Spurs (5-12) cruised behind Fox’s dominant outing—37 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Vassell added 23, while Harrison Barnes chipped in 13.
For Portland (8-11), offensive support for Avdija was scarce. Jerami Grant finished with 13 points on just 5-of-17 shooting, and Shaedon Sharpe added 11 off the bench.
The Trail Blazers now turn their focus to a tougher challenge ahead. They’ll face league-leading Oklahoma City (18-1) on Sunday night at 1:00 a.m. IST. But even in defeat, Avdija’s breakout showing was a reminder of his growing offensive arsenal—and a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing night for Portland.