After a tight loss to the New York Knicks, the Portland Trail Blazers head into Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors with heavy news hanging over the locker room. Deni Avdija will miss the game, and his absence immediately changes how the Blazers attack this matchup. The team lists the injury as lower back soreness, a frustrating setback after a painful moment late Sunday. Still, not all the news feels bleak. The Blazers upgraded Jerami Grant to doubtful, which gives Portland something to hold onto as the night approaches.
Blazers Insider Sean Highkin delivered both updates, and the timing could not feel more delicate. Deni Avdija had been carrying the Blazers this season with relentless production. Through 40 games, he is averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in 35.4 minutes per night while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three. That kind of output does not vanish quietly. It slipped away late against the Knicks when Avdija leaped into traffic for a rebound, landed on two feet, and instantly grabbed the left side of his lower back in visible pain. He stayed upright, but the message was clear.
Grant’s situation carries a different energy. After missing 13 straight games, the doubtful tag signals real progress. When healthy, Grant brings 20.0 points per game on 43.6 percent shooting and a sharp 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. His spacing stretches defenses and steadies Portland’s offense.
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Jerami Grant’s return window is coming into focus for the Blazers
Highkin added important context that fans should not ignore. Meanwhile, based on the pattern followed for Jrue’s return, his educated guess is that Grant will not play Tuesday but will be listed as questionable for Thursday against Atlanta with real hope to return. That projection, in turn, fits the team’s careful approach.
For now, the Blazers battle the Warriors with grit and short rotations. As a result, the crowd will buzz. The tension will rise. And every possession will carry extra weight. How close are the Blazers to feeling whole again?