Few would have imagined such a start to the regular season for Deni Avdija, who was the standout performer also last night in the Trail Blazers’ road win over the Pelicans.
Avdija delivered a monster line of 34 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists, further confirming his status as both the primary scorer and main playmaker for Portland.
“Honestly, it’s not easy… also being the main ball-handler,” the Israeli forward said. “Defenses adjust to me, I often face multiple defenders, but I’m just trying to make the right play. Sure, sometimes it’s tiring—I won’t lie—but nobody cares how tired I am, so I just have to go out there and produce.”
Avdija’s numbers have been elite, putting him among the top candidates for a first-ever All-Star Game appearance: 25.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game. Only Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić are averaging at least 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists this season.
In addition, with Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson sidelined by injuries, Avdija has become the league leader in drives per game at 20.5, ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (17.9).
It’s a workload even Avdija himself did not expect, but one that should pay dividends once Portland gets its designated point guards back. Acquired by the Trail Blazers almost under the radar in 2024, Avdija has made the most of extended minutes and has now clearly emerged as one of the franchise’s building blocks.
Beyond the passionate Portland fan base, the 25-year-old forward can also rely on the support of an entire nation in the All-Star voting—at last check, he ranked seventh among Western Conference players. An All-Star selection would be the perfect reward for a truly outstanding first half of the season.
“this brother is losing his mind” 💯
There’s no doubt Deni Avdija is having an All-Star caliber year and he’s turning heads every step of the way.
Watch this sneak peak of our next episode of the Trail and vote for Deni each day at https://t.co/or57FFmoV4 pic.twitter.com/JlRpqgstuA
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 21, 2025
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