It took Deni Avdija two minutes and forty seconds to address the elephant in the locker room Friday night at the Moda Center.
After the Portland Trail Blazers used a fourth-quarter rally to dismiss the Houston Rockets for the second time in three nights, Avdija was answering a question about his team’s five-game winning streak when he detoured into another topic on his mind.
“It’s definitely fun to win a team two nights in a row after all the excuses in the locker room, all the zebra stuff,” Avdija said following the Blazers’ 111-105 victory. “I’m just here to play basketball for real. Even if I lose, I just own it. You know what I’m saying? It’s a part of the game. But I’m happy.”
The “zebra stuff” would be a reference to comments made by Rockets guard Tari Eason on Wednesday night, when the Blazers eked out a nail-biting 103-102 win after Eason’s last-second rebound tip-in was overturned upon video review.
Eason was asked afterward about the challenge of defending the Blazers’ budding star, and he could only muster one word.
“Zebras,” Eason told reporters. “Zebras.”
By zebras, of course, he was referring to NBA officials. When someone sought clarification, saying, “That’s what made Deni hard to defend?” Eason didn’t blanch.
“Zebras,” he said a third time.
Avdija bludgeoned Eason and the Rockets so mercilessly in the first meeting, Moda Center faithful showered him with “MVP” chants in the final minute. He scored a season-high 41 points, including eight of the Blazers’ final 12 points, powering through a box-and-one defensive strategy by repeatedly bullying his way into the lane to complete downhill driving layups, short jumpers — and draw fouls. Avdija went 13 of 15 from the free throw line.
It was par for the course for the skilled offensive force nicknamed “Turbo,” who leads the NBA in free throw attempts (386) and free throws made (309).
Flash forward to Friday night’s rematch and the Rockets intensified their defensive focus on the Blazers’ point-forward, using a barrage of blitzes, double teams and swarming pressure to force the ball out of his hands. It worked for most of the game — Avdija entered the final six minutes sporting more turnovers (five) than made field goals (four).
But he earned praise from acting coach Tiago Splitter for his patience and willingness to make the right play and pass to open teammates.
“Deni creates so much attention from the other teams,” Splitter said. “It’s not easy to score 40 points and then you come to a game and you get blitzed and (you have to make) the right play every time. He was just trying to pass the ball to the guys, give it to whoever was rolling. And then we were finding shooters, cutters, etc. I give a lot of credit to Deni (for) being tough there even though he didn’t have his best night.”
Indeed, it was the strong play of several teammates that pushed Portland (19-20) to its seventh win in eight games and within one game of .500.
Toumani Camara scored a career-high 25 points, including 16 in the first quarter, and made 5 of 11 three-pointers. Donvan Clingan snared 15 rebounds and handed out six assists. Caleb Love scored 18 points and made four threes off the bench.
Duop Reath provided a vital late-game block and a timely fourth-quarter three, Sidy Cissoko added 13 points and three steals, and Shaedon Sharpe recorded 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
The Blazers opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run — as Avdija sat on the bench — and went on to overpower Houston 34-15 in the final period, overcoming a 13-point deficit.
Zebras?
The Rockets went an are-you-kidding-me 1-for-17 from three-point range in the fourth.
As for Eason and Avdija’s postgame detour, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week fought through the hounding Houston defense to record 20 points and six assists. He made just 5 of 15 shots, including 2 of 6 threes, but made 8 of 8 free throws.
And down the stretch of a nip-and-tuck game, Avdija made a pair of crucial defensive plays, snatching a steal from Amen Thompson in the paint on a fastbreak and sliding headfirst toward the sideline to save a loose ball.
What was his reaction to Eason’s “zebras” comments?
“That made me laugh, for real,” Avdija said. “Let’s address it. I drive the most in the league. I’m very physical. I’m not shying away from contact. I’m going downhill and I don’t care who’s in front of me. I’m going straight through them. And I’m not playing for those fouls, but I’m going to get fouled.
“This is part of the game. I can’t control it. I’m very aggressive. I initiate the contact and that’s my game … if it’s hard to stop, you’ve got to own it or do something else. But I’m very humble. I work hard and I think I make the right play every time.”
Perhaps Eason just had sour grapes?
“No,” Avdija said. “I think it was coming from emotion after the game. I’ve been emotional after losses, too. But it’s fun that we overcame that.”
Next up
The Blazers play the New York Knicks on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Moda Center.