Deni Avdija Shines Again as Trail Blazers Complete Sweep of Kings
In a gritty, grind-it-out road win, the Portland Trail Blazers leaned on Deni Avdija’s all-around brilliance to edge the Sacramento Kings 98-93 on Saturday night, completing a sweep of their home-and-home series.
Avdija was once again the engine behind Portland’s offense, finishing with 24 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. Just two nights after hitting clutch free throws to seal a 134-133 overtime thriller in Portland, Avdija followed it up with another standout performance-his latest in a season where he’s scored 20 or more in all but five games. The consistency has been eye-opening, but it’s the way he’s doing it-controlling tempo, finding teammates, and stepping up in big moments-that’s turning heads.
Shadedon Sharpe chipped in 23 points, flashing his usual athleticism and shot-making ability, while rookie big man Donovan Clingan made his presence felt inside with a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double. Toumani Camara added 15 points, giving Portland another boost on the wing. The Blazers have now won three straight, improving to 12-16-a notable upswing for a team still finding its identity but clearly trending in the right direction.
For Sacramento, the struggles continue. Dennis Schroder led the Kings with 21 points, and rookie Maxime Raynaud showed promise with 17 points and 12 boards. But the loss marked their fifth straight and ninth in their last 10, dropping them to 6-22 on the season.
The absence of Domantas Sabonis continues to loom large. The Kings’ All-Star big man remains sidelined with a left knee injury and is expected to miss another four to five weeks. Without him, Sacramento is missing both their offensive hub and interior anchor, and it’s showing in their recent skid.
Portland, meanwhile, is starting to gel. Avdija’s emergence as a steady playmaker, combined with the growth of young pieces like Sharpe and Clingan, is giving the Blazers a foundation to build on. Saturday’s win wasn’t pretty-both teams struggled to find rhythm offensively-but it was the kind of tough, defensive-minded victory that can help a young team grow.
The Blazers are still climbing out of an early-season hole, but if Avdija keeps playing at this level and the supporting cast continues to step up, Portland might just be finding its stride at the right time.