Avdija leaves Blazers’ victory over Suns just one minute in with back injury
· Yahoo Sports
During Portland’s second offensive possession, Avdija felt discomfort while backing down his defender in the post. Almost immediately, he signaled that something wasn’t right.
For Israeli basketball fans, the box score from Portland’s 92-77 win over Phoenix on Sunday night told two very different stories.
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On one hand, the Trail Blazers showed resilience, bouncing back from a humiliating 157-103 loss to Denver just days earlier with a gritty defensive performance on the road. On the other hand, the number that mattered most back home in Israel was 59. That’s how many seconds Deni Avdija lasted.
The Israeli forward, 25, who has been battling a lingering lower back issue for weeks, started the game despite being listed as questionable. For fans who stayed up deep into the night to watch, there was cautious optimism when his name was announced in the starting lineup. If he was playing, it meant he felt good enough to compete.
But less than a minute into the contest, that hope turned into concern.
During Portland’s second offensive possession, Avdija felt discomfort while backing down his defender in the post. Almost immediately, he signaled that something wasn’t right. Within moments, he was walking toward the locker room. He would not return.
For Israeli fans, it was a painful flashback. The lower back injury has lingered for nearly a month and a half, forcing Avdija to miss 10 of 16 games before the All-Star break. Even when he has played, it has often been under the cloud of “injury management.” Seeing him exit after just 59 seconds felt like the issue had reared its head again at the worst possible time.
Avdija's injury scares Israeli fans
Portland coach Tiago Splitter addressed the situation after the game.
“He felt good before the game, but his back flared up again, and we lost him,” Splitter said of Avdija. “It’s not easy. Beyond the offense, everyone stepped up defensively and did an amazing job.”
On Avdija’s condition, Splitter added cautiously: “I’m not a doctor, but we’ll examine him thoroughly and understand what’s really going on there.”
While Portland managed to handle business without its star, the focus in Israel wasn’t on the final score. It was on what this injury means moving forward.
This has been the season Israeli fans have waited for – the year Avdija not only became the first Israeli NBA All-Star, but also elevated himself into elite statistical company. Before the injury scare, he was averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game, placing him among the league’s most versatile stars.