Cavs vs. Blazers: Cleveland Looks to Lock In Against Red-Hot Deni Avdija and a Struggling Portland Offense
The Cleveland Cavaliers are back at home, and on paper, this matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers should tilt heavily in their favor. But if there’s one thing this season has taught the Cavs, it’s that talent alone doesn’t guarantee wins. Effort, execution, and attention to detail still matter - especially when a player like Deni Avdija is coming in playing the best basketball of his career.
Containing Deni Avdija: Job No. 1
Avdija has been on a tear. The sixth-year wing is putting up numbers that demand respect - 31 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Thunder, right after dropping 37 and 8 in the game before. He’s not just scoring - he’s impacting every facet of the game.
With Portland still searching for consistency, Avdija has emerged as their engine. He’s averaging a career-best 25.8 points per game on nearly 50% shooting, and he’s doing it from everywhere - off the dribble, catch-and-shoot, in transition, and in the halfcourt. He’s become a legitimate three-level scorer, a crafty playmaker, and a force on the glass.
For Cleveland, the mission is clear: slow down Avdija, and you severely limit Portland’s offensive ceiling. That likely means a mix of Isaac Okoro’s perimeter defense, help rotations from Evan Mobley, and a team-wide commitment to not letting Avdija get comfortable early.
Shrinking the Floor on a Cold Shooting Team
Portland’s offensive profile tells a pretty clear story - they’re willing to take threes, but they’re not hitting them. The Blazers are tied with Indiana for the league’s worst three-point percentage at 32.3%, despite launching from deep at the sixth-highest rate in the NBA.
That’s a green light for the Cavs to shrink the floor and force Portland into tough decisions. With Mobley anchoring the paint and Jarrett Allen cleaning the glass, Cleveland has the personnel to pack the lane and dare Portland to beat them from the perimeter.
Portland also struggles in the mid-range and isn’t particularly efficient at the rim, even though they get there often (fifth in rim frequency). The Cavs, by contrast, are more selective - 23rd in rim frequency - but they finish well when they get there. That difference in shot quality and execution could be a deciding factor.
If Cleveland brings its usual defensive discipline - they rank 10th in overall defense - this should be a game where the Cavs control the paint, contest the perimeter just enough, and make life miserable for a Blazers offense that lacks consistent counters.
Effort: The Cavs’ X-Factor
Here’s the thing about this Cavs team: the talent is there. Even with the injuries, they’ve got enough firepower to beat most teams on any given night. But through 22 games, they’ve learned that raw ability doesn’t win games without the right mindset.
Monday’s win over Indiana showed a version of the Cavs that fans have been waiting for - locked in, energized, and playing with purpose. That needs to carry over. Because while Portland is a team Cleveland should beat, that only happens if the Cavs show up ready to work.
There’s no room for coasting in today’s NBA. Not with players like Avdija capable of flipping a game on their own. The Cavs need to bring the same level of intensity they showed against the Pacers - fighting for loose balls, rotating with urgency, and playing with the kind of edge that turns good teams into great ones.
At 13-9, Cleveland has been fine - but they’re built to be better than fine. This matchup is a chance to build momentum, reinforce good habits, and remind the league that when the Cavs play with full focus, they’re a problem.
Let’s see if they take that step tonight.