The Portland Trail Blazers were 13-28 (.317) on January 18th, on pace for a 26-win season, similar to last year's 21-win team. However, they've already surpassed that as Portland sits at 28-39 (.418). They've hindered their shot at winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, but the Blazers' future is still promising. It would be one thing if veterans like Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant were leading the way for their season turnaround, but it has primarily been their young core responsible for flipping the switch.
Their improved play led the Blazers to be included as one of the most surprising teams in the league by The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, who discussed Portland's season with Bryce Simon of Motor City Hoops on The Game Theory Podcast.
Vecenie notes that the Blazers have been playing more winning basketball, largely thanks to their exciting new wing duo of Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara. One of Portland's most glaring issues the past few seasons has been their lack of two-way wings. They have finally addressed that.
Camara is making a case for the All-Defensive Team this season and expanding his offensive arsenal beyond just a 3-and-D player. Meanwhile, Avdija is finally thriving with his new team and is in the midst of a breakout campaign.
Vecenie highlighted Avdija's physicality as a key factor in his successful season. "Deni is just a downhill force. The strength -- he just brushes dudes off with his shoulders. Guys go flying whenever he makes contact with them, which says a lot to me," said Vecenie.
Deni Avdija’s added strength is powering his breakout season
Avdija has an underappreciated ability to use his off-arm on drives, toeing the line with what constitutes an offensive foul. He gets away with it because oftentimes he doesn't extend that off-arm, creating space from the force of his drives. Defenders also have difficulty drawing offensive fouls against him due to his agility, making it even harder to get in the correct spot to counter his physical drives.
Players like James Harden, Luka Doncic, and LeBron James are elite at brushing off defenders on drives with their brute force; Avdija is as good at it as any of those superstars. It doesn't end well for many players who try to get in his path. Just ask Duncan Robinson:
"This dude put me in a body bag!" -- Duncan Robinson on Deni Avdija 🤣 pic.twitter.com/X2dxQIMNkN
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) February 14, 2025
He's among the most underrated athletes in the NBA because he possesses a rare combination of strength and speed, especially for a 6-foot-9 wing. Combine that with his ballhandling, playmaking, and improved shot, and it's easy to see how Avdija has had a successful first season in Portland.
Avdija is leading the Blazers in free throw attempts per game (4.9) and is significantly ahead of the next closest player, Jerami Grant (3.5). He's currently tied with Donovan Mitchell for 24th in the league.
Unsurprisingly, the top five free throw leaders this season were all All-Stars. The ability to get to the charity stripe may not be loved by fans, who refer to certain superstars as free throw merchants. However, it is an essential and arguably underrated aspect of a player's offensive game.
Some sites list Avdija at 210 pounds, which, as Vecenie mentions, seems way off. Others, including NBA.com, have updated his weight to 240. At just 24, Avdija is still improving, and his offseason focus on adding muscle has paid off for Portland. It's translated to playing with more physicality at the rim and providing more strength to more effectively guard multiple positions on defense.
Credit Joe Cronin for targeting these player archetypes. For years, the Blazers' lack of physicality -- especially with their undersized backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum -- was a weakness. Now, they are developing a new team identity as a physical team.
The Blazers are finally playing with an edge, and Avdija is the catalyst for their surprising turnaround.