How Do the Portland Trail Blazers Get Deni Avdija Back Into All-Star Form in Game 4 and Beyond?

After a historic 30-point open in Game 1, Portland's Deni Avdija has struggled against the Spurs' adjustments. How do the Blazers respond?

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson during the first half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Deni Avdija’s 2025-26 campaign will go down in history as one of the greatest statistical showcases in the history of the Portland Trail Blazers’ franchise. A few singular moments of what has become an 86-game season won’t undermine any of that said excellence.

From a win-loss perspective, though, the last 24 hours haven’t necessarily been kind to Rip City’s rising star; from Most Improved Player of the Year awards to actual teeth to a must-win Game 3 against San Antonio, that’s an 0-3 record.

For forward thinkers and Blazers supporters alike, there might be a string of numbers that are even more concerning:

8-of-28. 28.6 percent shooting over his last two suit-ups.

Personally speaking, a “panic meter” for Avdija’s future postseason success would settle around a “one” or “two.” Elite players meet the postseason stage and perform admirably. And then, opponents adjust, scouting reports tighten up, nitpicking any could-be weakness, and ultimately what follows is an All-Star caliber response.

The only question, for Avdija, is if that happens during this postseason, or when the Blazers present a more offensively-friendly roster around him — maybe one that includes, say, a man by the name of Damian Lillard? Until that day comes, it is worth examining what has gone wrong.

The Root of Avdija’s Recent Struggles:

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija reacts after drawing a foul on San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox during the first half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The No. 1 issue —  and it was sort of alluded to in the Game 1 and series preview — is this: attacks of the rim that would’ve generated whistles in the regular season just haven’t been rewarded as frequently in the postseason.

Every great downhill driver has experienced it, and Avdija is no different. Consider each of the 15 shot attempts that Avdija took in Game 3, and outside of a few should’ve-been buckets — from tired legs, perhaps? — it won’t be difficult to notice the physicality that San Antonio’s defenders are playing with.

The shot attempt at the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter demonstrates this best. All that was missing from the Moda Center crowd was a “woo,” given how many Ric Flair-like chops Avdija had to absorb from Keldon Johnson, and Carter Bryant for that matter.

But that’s “playoff basketball.”

The end result doesn’t necessarily change one’s viewing; Robert Williams III was spot-on during his post-halftime interview when he mentioned that “physicality is everything,” and regarding his joy that the referees were allowing the players to play.

It just so happens to be much more enjoyable when one’s team is on the right side of fine line.

And after all of that, Avdija did still find himself at the charity stripe on 16 different occasions in Game 3, second-most of any player this postseason (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted 17 attempts in Game 1 against Phoenix). But, it does kind of expose a dependence on free points, as the statistics reflect.

In turn, it has forced Avdija into a more difficult hunt for that 20-point-scoring average, and he’s succeeded. But, the numbers speak for themselves: regular-season Avdija saw 30 percent of his points arrive at the charity stripe. Heading into Game 3, that number dipped to just 15 percent.

How Do the Blazers Adjust?

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson during the first half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The complete answer probably won’t be figured out until the offseason, when Portland can rectify its issues with both offensive balance and variance. 

The postseason has a way of “ripping the Band-Aid,” so to speak, on a player’s weaknesses. With respects to everything else that they do, the Blazers’ halfcourt offense figures to struggle with near-”donuts” on the box score from Toumani Camara, and situations in which Donovan Clingan can’t attack mismatches or get the 3-pointer falling.

To a degree, the same holds true for Williams III. At certain points, he’s been among this series’ most impactful players. Portland couldn’t have even had the opportunity to ponder a 2-1 series edge without them.

But, this theory isn’t necessarily groundbreaking: putting a downhill driver on a floor with floor spacers that a defense doesn’t fear is a recipe for limited success.

And if you think San Antonio isn’t aware of that, take another look at that one-minute clip.

Double teams are often waiting nearby, because: (a) Williams is occupying the dunker’s spot, which can make help easier, or (b) on the weak side, the Spurs aren’t deathly afraid of whatever shooter is in the far 3-point corner.

As a whole, it led to quite the surprise: the Blazers' offense shot at a sub .500 percent rate (22-of-45), even without Victor Wembanyama's looming presence.

But, this much Portland already knew. It’s in this year’s iteration of the Blazers to be streaky, inexperienced, and yet intoxicatingly fun to watch, all at once.

In the grand scheme of things, they’ve overachieved, and so has Avdija. Quite literally, he’s fought tooth-and-nail to put the Blazers in position, and while it’s unclear as to if he’s equipped to be regular-season Deni in this series, Game 4 promises to be one to remember nonetheless.