Despite being down to start the final period, the Portland Trail Blazers rallied back in enemy territory, led by a 41-point, 12-assist performance by star wing Deni Avdija to clinch a 114-109 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday to advance to the NBA playoffs.
Down by a point with less than half a minute left in the match, Avdija called for an isolation against lockdown defender Jordan Goodwin, crossed to his right, and converted an and-one layup to seal the victory.
Veteran guard Jrue Holiday followed up with a scoring burst of his own, notching 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
“Pride, most of all. It’s pride to come out here and play knowing that at All-Star break this is the position we wanted to be in, and we took care of business,” Holiday said postgame.
Blazers March Into Playoffs for the First Time Since 2021
With the win, the Blazers officially clinched the seventh seed and entered the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Avdija’s performance also marks him as only the fifth player in history to score more than 40 in the Play-In Tournament, joining the likes of Jayson Tatum, Coby White, Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson.
Additionally, the match also saw the return of Jerami Grant from a calf injury. He contributed 16 points off the bench en route to the victory.
The Blazers are set for a series against the San Antonio Spurs, who will look to limit Avdija’s production through defensive specialists such as Victor Wembanyama.
Devin Booker Held Below Averages, But Suns Still in Playoff Hunt
Despite the loss, the Suns are still alive and will host one more knockout game at home for a chance at the eighth seed.
Jalen Green led the Phoenix offense with 35 points, while Devin Booker was held to a subpar performance of only 22 points while nursing 5 personal fouls.
Suns’ lockdown defender Dillon Brooks was unable to play it safe, meanwhile, as he committed his sixth foul on Avdija’s game-winning layup, which ultimately sealed the loss.
Phoenix will now await the winner of the other Play-In game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. The Suns will face the loser in a do-or-die matchup for the eighth seed and a series against the reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder.
