Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija leads Portland to 6-1 start without Ja Morant
The gist
Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is averaging 23.4 points as Portland opened 6-1, best in the West.
The first Israeli NBA All-Star is thriving after the team added two star guards.
How it unfolded
- Feb 1, 2026Avdija is named a Western Conference reserve for the Feb. 15 All-Star Game in Inglewood, California, becoming the first Israeli named an NBA All-Star.
- Jun 30, 2026A day after Portland trades for All-Star point guard Ja Morant, Avdija calls new coach Micah Nori to ask how the offense will work.
- Oct 13, 2026In a preseason win over the London Lions (119-66), Avdija plays 17 minutes with nine points, five rebounds and four assists.
Key terms
- Western Conference
- One of the two conferences of the National Basketball Association, made up of 15 teams in three divisions.
- All-Star
- A player selected to play in the NBA's annual All-Star Game, which showcases the league's star players.
- 3P%
- A basketball statistic showing a player's field goal, three-point, and free throw percentages as a slash-separated set of numbers.
Source: Wikipedia