The Portland Trail Blazers struggled, perhaps unnecessarily, in the first half of their Friday bout against the Sacramento Kings. But once they let Deni Avdija cook after halftime, they finally took a comfortable lead and held on for the 128-120 win.
Maybe the coaching staff has finally learned its lesson. It's understandable that the Blazers want Damian Lillard and Ja Morant going early. However, it has become clear that the success of their offense hinges heavily on Avdija putting pressure on defenses and not waiting for the ball to come to him.
A tale of two halves
Not to disparage the Kings, but the Blazers were expected by many to coast to an easy dub on Friday, especially after defeating the Phoenix Suns by 41 points in the season opener.
Sacramento had other plans, though. It built a 12-point cushion in the first quarter and was in the driver's seat for most of the first half. Not too many went the Blazers' way in the first 24 minutes, as they struggled to make shots and stop their opponents from scoring.
Lillard and Morant couldn't replicate the magic they conjured in Portland's beatdown of the Suns. In that game, the star guards got hot from the get-go. On Friday, they combined to shoot 4-14 from the field and 1-6 from 3-point range in the first half. Meanwhile, Avdija was a bit passive, taking only five shots by halftime.
Fortunately for the Blazers, the reserves, particularly Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III, and Sidy Cissoko, kept them afloat. Miraculously, they trailed just 64-59 after the second period.
Deni finally took over in the third, scoring 11 points, dishing out three assists, and making two trips to the charity stripe. It's worth noting that the Blazers put the clamps on the Kings, resulting in several fastbreak opportunities. But in most half-court sets, Avdija mostly initiated the offense and helped open the floor for his teammates.
The Blazers outscored their opponents 44-26 in the pivotal frame before eventually eking out the hard-earned victory.
More early touches for Avdija
It's easy to say that there isn't that big a need for Portland to make major adjustments since the team ultimately secured the comeback win and is now 2-0 to begin the regular season. However, the close call should have Micah Nori thinking of ways to run the offense through Avdija even more.
Of course, I'm not saying that Lillard and Morant should just play off the ball much more often. Let's face it. It's not optimal for either of them to merely watch the ball, especially because they once thrived as ball-dominant players. And they did prove against the Suns that they still have what it takes to overwhelm defenses.
There will be nights, though, when Dame and Ja start games ice cold from the field, even when Portland faces opponents not known for their defense. In that case, it's even more important for Nori to put the ball in the hands of the team's best player.
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