Nba

Portland forward Deni Avdija is close to returning after missing one game with lower-back soreness, as his strong season keeps him in the All-Star conversation.

Avdija’s first season highlighted the difficulty. An ankle injury limited him to 54 games, and according to Sheppard, that period tested his character.

“I think we’re improving at closing games,” Avdija explained. “Everyone is disciplined defensively, helping each other. We don’t leave anyone alone, and we go get wins together.”

Avdija buoyed the Blazers for much of the first half, having scored almost half of Portland's points deep into the second quarter.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv big man does it all. From scoring, dunking, blocking, and rebounding, the Minsk, Belarus-born Sorkin has continued to carve out a rise to the top.

Playing the “home” game in Riga is obviously not ideal for Israel, but the squad has faced this challenge since the outbreak of the war in October 2023.

Avdija powered Portland to a key win as Wolf and Saraf helped Brooklyn notch back-to-back victories.

From Avdija’s triple-double heroics for Portland to the promise of Brooklyn rookies Wolf and Saraf, Israeli players continue to leave an unmistakable imprint on the NBA stage.

“We are about to launch the next campaign that is very significant for Israeli basketball and for all of us,” noted Beit Halachmi. “It’s a very big challenge, but also a huge opportunity."