{"id":47641,"date":"2021-12-21T07:47:38","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T07:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/?p=47641"},"modified":"2024-11-03T09:31:12","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T09:31:12","slug":"deni-avdijas-offensive-game-continues-to-grow-but-defense-remains-his-bread-and-butter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/en\/deni-avdijas-offensive-game-continues-to-grow-but-defense-remains-his-bread-and-butter\/","title":{"rendered":"Deni Avdija’s offensive game continues to grow, but defense remains his “bread and butter”"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Washington Wizards returned back from their first West Coast road trip hoping for better, but at least finished on a positive note with a 109-103 win over the Utah Jazz to snap a season-worst four-game losing streak. A lot of Washington’s upset as a near double-digit underdog comes thanks to Deni Avdija’s season-high 30 minutes of play. Plus-minus is not always representative of an individual’s play every night, but Avdija’s game-high and season-best +23 accurately characterized the 20-year old’s impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the others [teammates] wanted that win too, but I just wanted that win so much,” Avdija began his post-game availability. “We started the road trip tough, we lost three games, we should have won some of them and getting this last win on the road versus a very good Western Conference team means a lot.\u201d
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Deni Avdija – Photo Credit: Washington Wizards<\/p><\/div>
\nDespite Kyle Kuzma’s return to the starting lineup after he cleared health and safety protocols, Avdija’s return to the second unit coincided with his first three-game double-digit scoring streak. In three games at Sacramento, Phoenix, and Utah, Avdija totaled 40 points on 14-for-21 shooting including 5-for-8 from 3, 16 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals. Last month head coach Wes Unseld Jr. shared his desire for Avdija to be more decisive on the offensive end and that has come to fruition of late. Avdija self-admittedly still has a long way to go offensively and that is as exciting as his current flashes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think some of it is the minutes,” Unseld postulated about Avdija’s more consistent offense. “He\u2019s showing that he can be a defensive stopper at times, he\u2019s going to stay on the floor. He knows how to play, we know that. He\u2019s been staying aggressive, letting the game come to him, and when the ball finds him, he\u2019s confident he\u2019ll step up and make a shot or he\u2019s going to attack trying to find the big on the roll or look for a kickoff. He\u2019s not going to do too much, which I like.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Deni Avdija to Montrezl Harrell alley-oop in transition \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/B9necvAnUI<\/a><\/p>\n

— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) December 16, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n