The Portland Trail Blazers’ 2025-26 campaign ended on a sour note, with Portland falling to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in five games. But, only one team’s season doesn’t end in a loss (and that team could be those Spurs, who are dancing their way to the NBA Finals).
While the ending was unspectacular, this past Blazers season was still full of exciting moments and heroes. After all, it marked the Blazers’ winningest season and first trip to the postseason in five
years.
So, before we continue full-steam ahead with our offseason coverage of Portland’s coaching search, the Giannis Sweepstakes and more, let’s take a moment to toast the good times from 2025-26. What was your favorite moment from the 2025-26 Blazers season?
I’ll start us off.
When I think of the most entertaining sequence of Portland’s season, my mind first drifts to the Houston Rockets…and Tari Eason…and Kevin Durant…and Deni Freaking Avdija…and Zebras…and broken teeth…and January.
On Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, the Blazers hosted the Rockets for back-to-back thrilling games at the Moda Center. In the first meeting, Avdija coronated his All-Star breakout with a season-high 41 points to lead the Blazers to a 103-102 win. He powered his way to three physical and-1 drives in crunch time, earning M-V-P chants from the Moda Center crowd for the first time. Blazers forward Toumani Camara also showed off his mettle by picking up his broken tooth from the floor and refusing to come out of the game, finishing with a gritty 14 points, two blocks and two steals.
Like a true Duel of the Fates, it all came down to a tenth of a second. Upon video review, Rockets forward Tari Eason’s would-have-been game-winning tip-in was still in his hand as the buzzer sounded. A momentarily heartbroken Moda Center turned into a raucous celebration.
“I think the drama there was at the maximum,” Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter said postgame (if you don’t believe him, just look at Eason’s reaction to the moment).
After the game, Eason caused a stir by claiming Avdija was only difficult to guard because of “Zebras,” a word he reiterated like the great Allen Iverson saying “Practice.” That dramatic finish and controversial soundbite only added to the intrigue of the rematch two days later. Then once again, the Blazers took care of the Rockets in crunch time for a 111-105 win.
Avdija wasn’t quite as good again, finishing with 20 points, but he had huge hustle plays down the stretch. He also got loads of help from teammates like Toumani Camara (25 points), Shaedon Sharpe (20 points), Caleb Love (18 points), Sidy Cissoko (14 points) and Duop Reath (who made big, timely plays). On a night when Kevin Durant passed Wilt Chamberlain for seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, the game belonged to a true group effort from the Blazers. Then, after the win, Avdija had another star moment by addressing Eason’s “Zebra” comments head-on.
“It’s definitely fun to [beat] a team two nights in a row, after all the excuses in the locker room, all the Zebra stuff,” Avdija said. “I’m just here to play basketball. Even if I lose, I just own it.”
Avdija went on to discuss the complaints that he foul-baits or gets unfair treatment from referees, explaining how his aggressive, physical, downhill style will naturally create contact (full quotes here).
In terms of two games and three days in January, that back-to-back against the Rockets packed in a lot. Dramatic finishes. Superstar moments. Controversial quotes. And two Blazers wins. After a brutal few months of injuries and narrow losses threatened to derail Portland’s season, those two wins against Houston were part of a five-game winning streak and a stretch where Portland won 7 of 8. That January hot stretch stabilized Portland’s season and made Avdija’s All-Star emergence undeniable.
In Portland’s very next game against the New York Knicks, Avdija would injure his back. He and the Blazers would struggle to get back that top form for most of the remainder of the regular season, though they’d ultimately find a groove down the stretch run to seize the No. 7 seed in the Playoffs.
But the music is playing me off. I’ve gone long. Blazer’s Edge readers, let us know your favorite moment of the 2025-26 Blazers season in the comments below!
