Deni Avdija's first All-Star selection becoming more likely by the day

Deni Avdija is having by far the best season of his career in his second year with the Portland Trail Blazers. While it's challenging to make the All-Star game given the amount of superstars that reside in the Western Conference, Avdija's case to make his first appearance continues to strengthen by the day.

This season, he's averaging 25.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 49/38/83 shooting splits. While there are several other factors at play, those have to be considered as All-Star-level numbers.

Deni Avdija may be the biggest beneficiary of the latest rash of superstar injuries

One unfortunate league-wide development that will also increase Avdija's chances is the number of big-name players missing significant time. Blazers analytics insider Tom Haberstroh recently noted that stars are missing twice as many games as in the 2023-24 season, with almost half of them currently out with injuries.

Some of that can be attributed to the severe injuries stars suffered last season, which carried over, with players like Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard still out. But there are other variables the league needs to reevaluate. The pace of the game is faster than ever, and it no longer appears to be sustainable for players over the course of an entire 82-game season.

All-Star format change could also boost Deni Avdija's chances

Another variable to consider when determining Avdija's All-Star chances is the seemingly never-ending changes to the format. The league should simply stick to the East playing against the West and call it a day, but they continue to experiment with new ideas that never quite seem to stick.

This time around, they are introducing a USA vs. World format, where two USA teams and one international team will compete in a round-robin tournament consisting of 12-minute games. There will no longer be positional requirements to be met for each roster. If the All-Star voting doesn't result in teams reaching their minimum, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver would then select additional players. In other words, Avdija would still have a chance to make the roster if eight international players aren't initially selected.

It could come down to the Blazers' record

Avdija still faces plenty of international competition as the rest of the world continues to close the talent gap with the United States. Ultimately, it could come down to the Blazers' record at the time of voting.

Portland's hot start to the season has quickly cooled off, as they have lost six of their last seven games. They now sit ninth in the Western Conference standings at 6-9, which is right around where many expected them to be entering the season.

However, largely thanks to Avdija's star ascension, Portland's roster is better than its record currently indicates. They have been decimated by injuries of their own, contributing to this brutal stretch.

If they can get relatively healthy and play closer to the team they looked like at the start of the season, Avdija's chances will only continue to get better.