No Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, Blake Wesley, Shaedon Sharpe, Matisse Thybulle? No problem. The Portland Trail Blazers were essentially missing their entire backcourt rotation, yet managed to pull off a 127-123 road win over the Golden State Warriors, advancing to 2-1 in NBA Cup play.
This game was a prime example of why shorthanded teams are so challenging to gameplan against. The Blazers were able to generate offense from unexpected sources, particularly two-way players Caleb Love and Sidy Cissoko. Deni Avdija was just as impressive in his increased role, taking on more of the playmaking as a point forward.
Tiago Splitter compliments Deni Avdija, who took the role of a point guard due to injuries in the squad
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) November 22, 2025
He mentions that even if the other team try to send him left (to his weaker side), he still finds a way to get to the rim and find his teammates
Also about how smart Deni is.… pic.twitter.com/Ls4jIG8zbr
He continued to strengthen his All-Star case, finishing with a well-rounded 26 points, 14 assists (career high), and six rebounds. That's the first time in his career having back-to-back games with 10+ assists, and it's also the most assists in the NBA over a player's past two games.
Deni Avdija's playmaking is solving the Blazers' backcourt crisis
His assist numbers are at an all-time high, and they still don't even paint the entire picture, as he's generating opportunities for a Blazers offense that is not only injured but also one of the worst shooting teams in the league. Blazers analytics insider Tom Haberstroh notes Avdija had 28 potential assists in their loss to the Chicago Bulls, which is the highest among anyone in November. That was 17 extra passes his teammates didn't knock down, as the Blazers shot just 41% from the field and 29% from beyond the arc in that contest.
Avdija is having a full-on breakout season in Portland, averaging 25.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 49/38/83 shooting splits. He ranks in the top five for both points and rebounds per game among forwards. The only other player to be inside both categories at the position? Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Fans got a glimpse of Avdija's playmaking down the stretch of last season when he also stepped up as a primary offensive initiator for an injured Blazers team. But he's taking it to an entirely different level this season. The turnovers remain an issue: he recorded six against Golden State and is averaging a career-high 3.6 this season. However, that's also a result of Avdija emerging as the go-to option.
He's playing a role he never really had the opportunity to play with the Wizards, and there will inevitably be growing pains as he continues to figure out how to change speeds and make more decisive reads. Still, the pros significantly outweigh the cons, as Avdija is becoming arguably a top-25 player in the association.
The league is trending toward jumbo playmakers like Cade Cunningham and Luka Doncic, who are virtually impossible to defend given their matchup advantage. And if this stretch is any indication, the Blazers finally have one of their own.