Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers got right back on track, making it look effortless in the process. Rebounding from a setback against Memphis, the Trail Blazers delivered a convincing 112-90 road victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday, boosting their record to a strong 4-1.
As has become standard, the Israeli star was right at the center of the action. Avdija posted 24 points and six rebounds, anchoring the floor on a night where Portland controlled the pace virtually from start to finish. Playing without Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe, Portland also benefited from an efficient outing by Damian Lillard, who put a tough shooting night against Memphis behind him to complement Avdija's primary offensive load.
Blazers set the tone early
The Trail Blazers set the tone early, seizing command in the first quarter with a dominant 16-0 run. Avdija asserted himself from the opening tip - attacking the rim, drawing contact, and knocking down shots from deep. He carried that momentum into the second quarter, making constant trips to the charity stripe to the frustration of the Salt Lake City crowd. The Israeli standout hit 10 of his 11 free-throw attempts in the first half alone while converting several tough and-one opportunities. Paired with Lillard’s scoring, Portland went into the locker room at halftime holding a comfortable 59-42 cushion, with Avdija already holding 19 points.
While the Israeli eased off the gas offensively in the second half, Portland maintained firm control to turn the final stretch into extended garbage time. Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, and Lillard kept the margin out of reach while Avdija shifted his focus to defensive contributions. Utah tried to spark a run but had no answer for the visitors' rhythm and struggled immensely from distance. Portland finished 16-of-44 from three-point range, compared to a cold 11-of-40 night for the Jazz.
Avdija finished his night with 24 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field (including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc), along with six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and three turnovers. His most decisive statistic was a game-high +32 plus-minus. Beyond the box score, his signature aggressiveness was on full display as he generated 13 free-throw attempts, converting 10. Lillard provided 22 points, while Holiday, Camara, and Scoot Henderson chipped in 14 points apiece. Rookie Darryn Peterson led Utah with 20 points.
The win lifts Portland to 4-1 on the season, while Utah drops to 1-5. The Trail Blazers now prepare for a significantly tougher test in their next outing against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Play-by-Play
1st Quarter: Scoot Henderson stepped into Micah Nori's starting lineup in place of the injured Ja Morant. Damian Lillard scored Portland's opening five points before Avdija got on the board from the free-throw line, with Lillard extending the early edge to 14-7. Avdija then knocked down a three-pointer, Jrue Holiday provided instant energy off the bench, and Portland blew the game open with a 16-0 run to make it 23-7. The Jazz reserves managed to halt the momentum late, ending the quarter down 27-18. Avdija logged eight points, three rebounds, an assist, and a turnover in the period.
2nd Quarter: Avdija picked up right where he left off in the second, utilizing an assist, a three-pointer, and three straight free throws to extend the lead to 38-19. Collier sparked a brief Utah response, which, combined with two turnovers by Avdija, cut the deficit to 41-28. Henderson capped off a brilliant passing sequence with flair, though Peterson and George heated up to keep the Jazz within reach at 48-36. Avdija re-entered the contest and promptly launched a personal 7-0 burst - highlighted by a strong drive and an and-one conversion - bringing his first-half tally to 19 points and sending Portland into the break leading 59-42.
3rd Quarter: Following two scoreless minutes to open the second half, Camara and Lillard connected from deep to push the advantage to 68-44. Avdija scored his first points of the second half midway through the frame on his 13th free-throw attempt. Holiday hit Portland's tenth three-pointer of the night as the visitors kept the lead comfortably above 20 points. Lauri Markkanen reached double digits for Utah, but every attempt at a run was answered by Lillard and Holiday, even while Avdija rested on the bench (82-59). Camara put the finishing touch on the period with his fourth three-pointer, extending the margin to 88-64. Avdija headed to the bench with 24 points and six rebounds.
4th Quarter: The final period opened at a slow pace. Avdija was unable to add to his scoring tally while Lillard padded his stats to make it 94-70. With roughly eight minutes remaining, Avdija exited for good as Nori turned to his reserves. Rookie Peterson led a late push for Utah, bringing the score to 99-82 with five minutes remaining. Following a Portland timeout, Chinese rookie Yang Hansen put the game on ice with back-to-back three-pointers, wrapping up a commanding 112-90 victory for the Trail Blazers.