Deni Avdija and Sidy Cissoko Address Urgent Blazers Locker Room Question

The Portland Trail Blazers have not had the best recent stretch of games in mid-December.

Though they've won three of their past five games, the Blazers probably should've lost their first game of a home-and-home against the Sacramento Kings, a 134-133 overtime win that they were bailed out in with a phantom Russell Westbrook foul call on Deni Avdija, and barely escaped the rematch in Sac-Town. If those favorable results go the other way, this team is closer to the Los Angeles Clippers in the standings than the playoffs.

After a 110-106 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, which dropped the team's record on the 2025-26 season to 12-16, several players addressed the locker room's cohesion amid a stretch where it looks like they lack it on the court.

Deni Avdija and Sidy Cissoko Claim Everything is Fine

Given Portland's need to come from behind in several performances these days, there are questions about this team's togetherness. Avdija confirmed that those come-from-behind efforts are signs that the locker room is closer than what people think from the outside looking in.

“Those losses are tough. But you really learn from them. I’d rather lose tight games like that than actually get blown out. So there’s always worse scenarios," Avdija said following the loss to the Magic.

“We have a great group of guys. They’re very strong mentally. And I think our team camaraderie is really good. I think we’re getting along with each other really good. We’re talking. Our chemistry is amazing. It’s one of the best chemistry teams that I’ve been on in a while. And I think, as you see, we just continue to fight. We’re not going to back off. And I think this is our identity. We believe in each other, we believe in ourselves as a team. It’s only going to make us better.”

Sidy Cissoko believes the team's youth is the reason for a lot of the team's issues in the early going this season. When asked if this team would give up, Cissoko proudly proclaimed "never."

"We’re still young, right? I’m 21. Shae is 22. Deni is 24. We’re still young. We’ve got time. So, like, it’s a step to success. … I think everybody’s got the same kind of vibes. There’s no fighting … we’re really a family. Everybody’s got each other’s back," Cissoko said.

It may not be on Cissoko's clock if the Blazers have time to continue losing. We'll see how these words age moving forward.