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\u2019 road win over the Pelicans.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s not easy\u2026 also being the main ball-handler,\u201d the Israeli forward said. \u201cDefenses adjust to me, I often face multiple defenders, but I\u2019m just trying to make the right play. Sure, sometimes it\u2019s tiring\u2014I won\u2019t lie\u2014but nobody cares how tired I am, so I just have to go out there and produce.\u201d<\/p>\n
Avdija\u2019s numbers have been elite, putting him among the top candidates for a first-ever All-Star Game appearance<\/strong>: 25.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game. Only Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Nikola Joki\u0107 are averaging at least 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists this season.<\/p>\n In addition, with Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson sidelined by injuries, Avdija has become the league leader in drives per game at 20.5<\/a>, ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (17.9).<\/p>\n It\u2019s 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\u2019s building blocks.<\/p>\n 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\u2014at 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.<\/p>\n