The Portland Trail Blazers went 2-1 this par week, losing to the San Antonio Spurs to start and then taking down the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings to clinch the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
With a stretch of incredibly important games, each standout performance was more important than normal. Plenty of players made their mark this week with impressive performances in one or two games. However, as he did all season, leading the charge was this week’s Blazer of the Week: Deni Avdija.
Avdija averaged 29.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game this week to help Portland get over the finish line and secure their spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Now the Blazers need just one win to find themselves in the NBA Playoffs instead of two. Avdija was the driving force behind the Blazers taking a must-win game over the Clippers on Friday as he scored 35 points on 10/13 shooting from inside the arc and made 12 of his 13 free throws in the game.
Avdija’s efficient scoring from two-point range helped make up for his struggles from deep. He finished the week shooting 38.9% from range, but that was boosted by a hot 5/9 performance in the win over the Kings. He shot 63.4% on his two-pointers to make his three-point shot a luxury rather than an essential piece.
Avdija’s gravity on the offensive end, especially on his drives, makes the job of everyone else on the court that much easier. His excellence as a driver partnered with his elite playmaking ability leads to a lot of open threes for teammates. He has proven time and time again that he is the engine that drives this Portland squad, and his play will be incredibly important in the postseason.
This week’s honorable mention is Donovan Clingan.
Clingan averaged 14.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per games this week. His improvements as a defensive anchor and scorer have been incredibly important to the Blazers’ success this season. He has made incredible improvements to his three-point shooting this season as well, including making 50% of his attempts this week. In just his second year, he is making a serious case to be considered among the premier centers in the NBA.
Which Blazer impressed you the most this week? Let us know in the comments below!
