Lost in the wildfire of Stephen Curry’s 52-point eruption and a Nikola Jokic-Anthony Edwards-led instant classic in Denver on Tuesday night, Deni Avdjia put up a 32-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double to lead the Trail Blazers over the Hawks in Atlanta.
On some nights, maybe this would have gotten a mention or a headline in the usual national outlets. But probably not. Avdija, in his first season in Portland, has been toiling away for a better-than-expected-but-still-not-very-good Blazers team and showing that he is a significant piece of their future.
He’s one of the best players nobody is talking about. More than that, there’s an argument that he’s been the league’s best offseason acquisition.
On draft night last June, the Trail Blazers acquired Avdija for Bub Carrington’s draft rights, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 first-round pick and two future second-round picks.
It was a fascinating trade. Avdija, the ninth pick in 2020, was far from a bust. He was just 23 at the time (he turned 24 in January) and was coming off the best season of his young career.
But the Wizards were taking a calculated step even further back than they were. Avdija, even at his young age, would have been 3-4 years older than Washington’s new core, headlined by no. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. He’s a half-decade older than Cooper Flagg.
So, the Wizards sold high. Or so they thought.
Avdija has taken a leap this season and has been Portland’s best all-around player for most of it. He’s averaging 16.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 30 minutes per game. His 60.5 True Shooting percentage is a career high. He’s taking a higher rate of 3s, getting to the line and playmaking more than ever.
Since the beginning of March, Avdija is averaging 24 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. That includes Tuesday night’s triple-double – the second of his season. (He has 15 double-doubles.)
The Trail Blazers don’t have a traditional point guard, per se, but Avdija is one of their best playmakers and table-setters. At 6-foot-9, he can see over the defense and deliver skip passes that aren’t in Anfernee Simons or Scoot Henderson’s wheelhouse.
He’s one of Portland’s best pick-and-roll ball handlers. He doesn’t scuttle like Scoot or fly high like Shaedon Sharpe, but he plays angles well and goes at a brisk yet patient pace.
He’s at his best when ripping down a rebound and pushing it up the floor. His teammates know to run with him. Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has called him a “one-man fast break.”
There were other great additions last summer: Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges to the Knicks; Dyson Daniels to the Hawks; Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso to the Thunder.
But considering what the Blazers gave up for Avdija, and that’s he’s under a ridiculously team-friendly deal over the next three seasons after signing a $55 million extension before the 2023-24 season, he might be the best value.
Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided's daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend. If you hate it, share it with an enemy!
NBA news roundup
- Steph Curry erupted for 52 points as the Warriors beat the Grizzlies and improved to 18-2 with Curry and Jimmy Butler in the lineup. They also moved ahead of Memphis for fifth in the West standings.
- Nikola Jokic posted a career-high 61 points in the Nuggets’ double-overtime loss to the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards, who entered the fourth quarter with 10 points, finished with 34.
- The Bucks snapped a four-game losing streak, and all it took was shooting the highest field goal percentage the league has seen this century. The Bucks made 51 of their 74 attempts (68.9 percent) in Tuesday night’s win over the Suns. According to ESPN, it’s the highest percentage in a game since March 13, 1998, when the LA Clippers shot 69.3 percent in a win over the Raptors.
- After a years-long standoff, Glen Taylor has agreed to complete a 100 percent ownership transfer of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx to the Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez-led group at the same $1.5 billion price the sides agreed to in 2021, according to ESPN.
What we know about the playoff picture
There’s plenty to still sort out, but here’s what we know for sure with two weeks left in the regular season.
Locked in:
- In the West, the Thunder clinched the No. 1 seed. Only the Pelicans and Jazz have been eliminated from the postseason.
- In the East, the Cavaliers, Celtics, Knicks and Pacers have clinched playoff spots. The Raptors, Nets, 76ers, Hornets and Wizards have been eliminated.
Likely won’t change:
- In the West, the Rockets will likely finish with the No. 2 seed. The Nuggets and Lakers will finish third and fourth, in some order. Two of the Warriors, Grizzlies, Timberwolves and Clippers will earn a guaranteed playoff spot while the other two will sink to the play-in. Somehow, the Mavericks look like they are going to earn a play-in spot.
- In the East, the Pistons and Bucks will round out the top six. The Cavaliers will finish with the No. 1 seed, followed by the Celtics at No. 2 and Knicks at No. 3. The East play-in teams will likely be the Magic, Hawks, Bulls and Heat in some order.