POR 116, LAC 97: Avdija Powers Through for 50.3 Yahoo FP
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant ยท Los Angeles Lakers fan
Deni Avdija Goes Absolutely Nuclear, Trail Blazers Dominate Clippers 116-97
Portland just reminded LA why they're one of the West's most dangerous teams right now. The Trail Blazers dismantled the Clippers 116-97, and it started with Deni Avdija putting on a masterclass that'll have fantasy managers scrambling to lock him into their lineups.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deni Avdija | 54.0 | 50.3 | 35/4/5 | 24.0/6.9/6.7 | +11.0 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 45.0 | 43.1 | 24/8/5 | 28.0/6.3/3.6 | -4.0 |
| Donovan Clingan | 46.0 | 42.6 | 18/13/2 | 12.0/11.6/2.1 | +6.0 |
| Darius Garland | 37.0 | 38.5 | 16/5/7 | 18.9/2.3/6.7 | -2.9 |
| Robert Williams III | 31.0 | 30.0 | 13/10/0 | 6.6/6.9/1.0 | +6.4 |
| Matisse Thybulle | 33.0 | 27.9 | 6/2/1 | 5.8/2.0/0.9 | +0.2 |
| Brook Lopez | 31.0 | 27.7 | 21/6/1 | 8.3/3.5/1.3 | +12.7 |
| Jordan Miller | 29.0 | 26.0 | 15/5/0 | 9.8/3.0/2.2 | +5.2 |
| Kris Murray | 24.0 | 22.4 | 10/7/2 | 5.7/3.5/1.4 | +4.3 |
| Scoot Henderson | 21.0 | 18.7 | 9/1/3 | 14.4/2.8/3.8 | -5.4 |
The Deni Difference
Look at that line: 35 points on 11-19 shooting with 12-13 from the free throw line. Deni Avdija didn't just exceed his season average of 24 PPG, he went +11.0 against it. That's not noise. That's a dude who showed up when it mattered.
What's wild is how clean he was. 11-19 FG is 57.9% efficiency. The free throw line was automatic at 92.3%. He didn't jack up 25 shots to get 35. He was surgical. And yes, he had some quiet moments on the boards (only 4 rebounds) and assists (5), but when one guy is dropping 35 points this efficiently, nobody's complaining about the rest.
Avdija is officially a buy-low candidate if he's still available. The market might have slept on him a beat, especially with ownership only at 92.4%. That's not a "everyone has him" number. If your league is active on waivers, this is the game that changes narratives.
The Clingan Emergence
Donovan Clingan is doing something special as a young big. 18 points, 13 rebounds, 2 threes in just 28 minutes. That +6.0 vs his 12.0 season average shows he's trending upward, not sustaining a fluke.
The three-pointers are the kicker here. A 7-footer who can shoot spreads the floor and gives Portland different lineup flexibility. On Yahoo scoring, he pulled 42.6 FP. He's not going to get 50 FP every night, but 30+ isn't out of reach when he's getting legitimate run. Keep tabs on his minute allocation over the next few games.
The Kawhi Reality Check
Kawhi Leonard finished with 43.1 Yahoo FP on 24/8/5, but that -4.0 from his 28.0 PPG average stings. He shot 10-20, which isn't bad, but it's not the 60% TS% efficiency he usually brings. The Clippers got outworked today, and Kawhi felt it.
This isn't a panic situation. One down game against a hot Portland squad doesn't reset the narrative on a former MVP runner-up. But if you're considering selling high on someone else to acquire Kawhi, you got a discount on his floor today without any indication of injury. File that away.
The Robert Williams Wildcard
Robert Williams III put up 30 Yahoo FP in 17 minutes. That's not sustainable volume, but I'll be real with you, the efficiency was there: 4-7 FG, 3-4 FT, 2 threes, plus the defensive counting stats (1 steal, 1 block).
As someone who works in recovery, I always keep one eye on big men coming back from injury. His minute total was cautious, and that's smart load management. Watch if Portland gradually bumps him to 20, 22, 25 minutes. When centers get trusted with higher volume after rehab, fantasy scoring follows. He's a waiver add in deeper leagues if he's sitting there.
The Lopez Explosion
Brook Lopez going 21/6 on 8-15 FG with five threes? That's the Bud Walton Center version of Brook we rarely see. +12.7 from his season average of 8.3 PPG is the biggest one-game jump on tonight's board.
Here's the thing though: Lopez at 8.3 PPG season average tells you he's not a primary option in LA's offense. Tonight he got space and shot it confidently. If the Clippers have another game where they need his shooting, it could be there again. But don't let this one game convince you he's a league-winner. He's matchup dependent, and today matched him up perfectly.
Bottom Line
Portland's depth won this game, and Deni Avdija is the name everyone should remember. If he's still available in your league, he's a target. Clingan continues showing why young bigs with range matter in fantasy. And Robert Williams III is the deep league sleeper to monitor as his ramp-up continues.
The Clippers have talent, but Kawhi can't do it alone. Garland had a solid night (38.5 Yahoo FP), but the rest of the roster couldn't create enough havoc. This is a wake-up call that gets forgotten if they win their next one, but it's a real test.