By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After scoring 41 points, a new personal best in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, Deni Avdija fueled a second straight win for the Portland Trail Blazers over the Houston Rockets in Moda Center with 20 points.
Following Friday’s game, the Israeli forward addressed the Rockets‘ comments from Wednesday’s game, including Tari Eason linking a challenge to defend him with labeling the referees as zebras.
“It’s definitely fun to win a team two nights in a row, after all the excuses in the locker room, all the zebra stuff. I’m just here to play basketball for real. Even if I lose, I just own it. You know what I’m saying? It’s a part of the game,” he mentioned in a postgame interview.
“They made me laugh for real,” he added. “Let’s address it. I drive the most in the league. I’m very physical. I’m going downhill, and I don’t care who’s in front of me. I’m going straight to them, and I’m not playing for those fouls, but I’m going to get fouled. This is part of the game. Like I can’t control it. I’m very aggressive. I initiate the contact, and that’s my game.”
Behind a fifth consecutive win, the team coached by Tiago Splitter jumped to 19-20, heading to the last stop in a four-game homestand, opposite the New York Knicks on Sunday. Currently sitting ninth in the Western Conference standings, the distance from the top six seeds, which guarantee a spot in the Playoffs 2026, is five games, with the elimination zone four games away.
Starting across all 39 fixtures so far, Avdija averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per contest, building a bid to debut in the annual All-Star Game, besides looking to help his side clinch a postseason berth.