{"id":46585,"date":"2021-12-07T13:06:57","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T13:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/?p=46585"},"modified":"2024-11-03T09:31:12","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T09:31:12","slug":"deni-avdijas-up-and-down-season-unsurprisngly-continues-but-still-shows-more-versatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/en\/deni-avdijas-up-and-down-season-unsurprisngly-continues-but-still-shows-more-versatility\/","title":{"rendered":"Deni Avdija’s up-and-down season unsurprisngly continues, but still shows more versatility"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Washington Wizards season has taken a turn for the worse. After a brilliant 10-3 start to the Wes Unseld Jr. era, the team has lost 8 of their last 12 games including a current 3-game losing streak for the first time this year. Not even 82 games into his young NBA career, it should be unsurprising that Deni Avdija still has inconsistent production despite how easy it is to be optimistic after his strong performances.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s just the normal maturation of a young player,” head coach Wes Unseld Jr. explained. “Very few are going to come into their second year and play great every night. I think he\u2019s still a little fatigue from being under the weather, but I give him credit, he gutted it out. He tried to play, he\u2019s going to try and play the right way, play hard, play physical, sometimes it doesn\u2019t go your way. So I\u2019m not overreacting or concerned in any way with that. Some of the growing pains we all have to go through.”
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Deni Avdija – Photo Credit: Washington Wizards<\/p><\/div>
\nFollowing 9 points and 7 rebounds in 20 minutes in a win at home against the Timberwolves, Deni Avdija overcame non-COVID flu-like symptoms for a season-high 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting including 3-for-6 from deep the next game against the Cavaliers. In two games since at the Raptors and Pacers, however, Avdija had a combined 2 points on 1-for-5 shooting. As a silver lining, he did get a few possessions of playing time as the primary ball-handler on the court with Spencer Dinwiddie sitting out the back-to-back due to schedule injury maintenance following ACL knee surgery less than a year ago.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s tough because he hasn\u2019t had a ton of reps in that spot,” Unseld said about Avdija thrust in a new role with already limited practice time in-season. “He\u2019s usually a secondary ball-handler, second side pick-and-roll player. Learning the offense in that role is difficult on the fly, but we just have to keep a small package of plays. It just gives you more flexibility. Allows Brad the freedom to play on and\/or off the ball. Give you another guy that can play make on the floor so at least you have two ball handlers. I just like the fact that he\u2019s capable of it and he\u2019s comfortable doing it.”<\/p>\n

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Deni Avdija making plays attacking the rim \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/WYjX2ep9XR<\/a><\/p>\n

— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) December 7, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n