The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-103 at the Moda Center on Tuesday night, improving to 7-3 on the season and moving into eighth place in the Western Conference standings. Now, it’s time for The Sports Rabbi to grade Deni Avdija’s performance.

Avdija’s Statistics: 33:46 minutes, 24 points, 6-of-11 on two-pointers, 2-of-4 from three-point range, 6-of-8 from the free-throw line, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 turnovers and a plus-21 rating (the highest on the floor).

Avdija’s Grade – 9.5
The first half was a closely contested affair, with the teams heading into the break tied at 59-59. However, the second half belonged to Portland, with Avdija playing a significant role in the dominant performance. Early on, he primarily made his impact by getting to the free-throw line and grabbing rebounds, while struggling to find his touch from the field. As the game progressed, however, he began knocking down shots, including one from beyond the arc.

Avdija also dished out plenty of assists, while the third quarter turned into a showcase for Damian Lillard, who finished with 25 points and caught fire from three-point range, including an incredible buzzer-beater to close out the period. Avdija was also excellent down the stretch of the third quarter, knocking down a three-pointer of his own just before Lillard’s spectacular shot.

The fourth quarter turned into garbage time, allowing Avdija to get some rest in the closing minutes ahead of a rematch at the same venue the following night (Thursday morning, 5:00 a.m. Israel time).

All in all, it was an outstanding performance from Avdija. He helped Portland take down one of the NBA’s top teams and one of the league’s best players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder star finished with 26 points and 8 rebounds but struggled with his shooting, going 8-of-22 from the field, including 0-of-4 from three-point range.

Now, Portland faces an equally significant challenge: trying to defeat Oklahoma City for a second consecutive night.

Elsewhere in the NBA, the Sacramento Kings fell 107-100 at home to the Orlando Magic. Emanuel Sharp recorded 2 points (1-of-2 on two-pointers, 0-of-1 from three-point range), 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 4 fouls and a minus-4 plus-minus rating in 19 minutes.