PORTLAND, Trailblazers
Deni Avdija scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out nine assists as the Portland Trail Blazers rallied from a 22-point deficit Wednesday night to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119, handing the defending NBA champions their first loss of the season.
Jrue Holiday added 22 points, including two free throws with six seconds left that gave Portland a 121-118 lead. Jerami Grant came off the bench to score 20, helping the Blazers improve to 5–3 on the season.
With the Thunder (8–1) trailing by three, Isaiah Joe was fouled on a jumper with half a second remaining. After a review showed his toe was on the 3-point line, he made the first free throw but intentionally missed the second. Oklahoma City missed a tip-in attempt at the buzzer.
🔄 Turning Point
Holiday’s mid-range jumper gave Portland its first lead of the game, 97-96, with 6:44 left. On the Thunder’s next possession, the Blazers forced a backcourt violation, and Holiday followed with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 100-96.
From there, the teams traded baskets until Grant’s jumper put Portland ahead 105-104. The Blazers stretched their lead to nine before Oklahoma City rallied again, setting up the tight finish.
📈 Avdija’s Comeback and Reath’s Spark
Avdija, who started 0-for-10 from the field, hit his first basket late in the third quarter to ignite Portland’s comeback. Duop Reath also provided a key boost off the bench, scoring nine points—all from 3-point range—in the second quarter to help Portland cut into the deficit.
Reath’s 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer trimmed the Thunder’s lead to 86-81, setting the stage for Portland’s final-period surge.
⚡ OKC’s Effort
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 35 points for Oklahoma City, while Aaron Wiggins added 27. The Thunder were without Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, and Alex Caruso, all of whom sat out following Tuesday night’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Oklahoma City built a 41-21 lead after the first quarter, but Portland’s second-half rally turned the game around.
🗓 What’s Next
- Oklahoma City visits Sacramento on Friday night.
- Portland continues its road trip Saturday against Miami.