You could practically hear the collective exhale inside the Moda Center for Trail Blazers fans. It wasn’t pretty, it certainly wasn’t stress-free, but in a league where the only statistic that truly matters is the “W,” the Portland Trail Blazers found a way to survive.
In a game that swung from a comfortable regulation cruise to a chaotic overtime dogfight, Portland edged out the Sacramento Kings 134-133 on Thursday night. It took a career-defining performance from Deni Avdija and a little bit of luck at the charity stripe to overcome a furious, veteran-led rally by Sacramento.
Avdija saves the day at the line
When the game is on the line, the rim can look awfully small. With 1.5 seconds left in overtime and his team trailing by one, Deni Avdija stepped to the line with the weight of the game on his shoulders. A miss would mean a heartbreaking collapse; two makes would mean salvation.
Avdija didn’t flinch. He calmly sank both free throws, capping off a spectacular 35-point night that saw him carrying the offense for long stretches. The forward was efficient and aggressive all night, shooting 12-for-19 from the field and 10-for-12 from the line. But beyond the scoring, he filled the stat sheet with five rebounds and five assists, acting as the stabilizing force Portland desperately needed when things started to go sideways.
“Stabilizing” is the keyword, because moments earlier, it looked like DeMar DeRozan had stolen the game for Sacramento. DeRozan, operating in his preferred midrange office, buried a jumper with just four seconds remaining in the extra period to give the Kings a 133-132 lead. It was the kind of shot DeRozan has hit a thousand times in his career, and for a moment, it seemed destined to be the game-winner. Avdija had other plans.
The collapse that almost cost the Trail Blazers
To understand why this win was so crucial for the Trail Blazers, you have to look at how they almost gave it away. With under three minutes to play in regulation, Portland appeared to be in total control. But in the NBA, a lead is never safe against a veteran scorer like DeRozan.
Sacramento orchestrated a stunning 17-2 run in the final 2:28 of the fourth quarter. It was a masterclass in execution by the Kings and a harsh lesson in game management for the young Blazers. The run culminated in a DeRozan 3-pointer with eight seconds left that knotted the score and sucked the air out of the building.
DeRozan was simply unconscious down the stretch. He finished with a team-high 33 points, but the stat that jumps off the page is this: 22 of those points came in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was 10-of-16 from the field, 3-of-4 from deep, and perfect from the line. When the Kings needed a bucket, they knew exactly where to go.
Unexpected Heroes and veteran presence
While DeRozan and Avdija stole the headlines, this game featured some fascinating subplots. The Kings got a massive boost from Maxime Raynaud, who erupted for a career-high 29 points and 11 rebounds. It’s rare to see a young player go toe-to-toe in a shootout like this, but Raynaud looked like he belonged, giving Sacramento a puncher’s chance even when their perimeter shooting went cold (the Kings shot just 31.6% from deep as a team).
Russell Westbrook also turned back the clock, orchestrating the offense with 20 points and 10 assists on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting night.
For the Trail Blazers, it was a balanced attack that ultimately won the day. Shaedon Sharpe continued his ascent, pouring in 26 points and knocking down four 3-pointers. Jerami Grant added a solid 20 points and 9 boards, providing the veteran steadying hand, while sophomore Donovan Clingan made his presence felt in the paint with 19 points and 8 rebounds. Toumani Camara chipped in 17, proving that on this night, Portland had just enough firepower to withstand the DeRozan storm.
Looking ahead to the rematch
This wasn’t a masterpiece of defensive basketball. The Blazers shot 47.6% from the field and allowed the Kings to shoot over 50%. They struggled to close out a game they had in the bag. But for a developing team, learning how to win—especially when everything goes wrong in the final minutes—is a skill in itself.
They won’t have long to celebrate. These two teams run it back on Saturday night, this time in Sacramento. If Thursday was any indication, we’re in for another high-scoring, heart-stopping affair. The Trail Blazers got the best of this round, but they know better than anyone just how close they came to letting it slip away.
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