Blazers’ Jrue Holiday gives Deni Avdija his flowers over clutch shot vs. Suns

Deni Avdija may not be the perfect superstar, but he did prove on Tuesday night that he has the mental fortitude to show up in big moments for the Portland Trail Blazers. With a spot in the 2026 NBA playoffs on the line, Avdija took over for the Blazers and powered them past the Phoenix Suns in the 7/8 play-in tournament game — with 25-year-old forward putting up 41 points, seven rebounds, and 12 assists while shooting 15-22 from the field in a 114-110 victory.

There were quite a few nervous moments in the game, especially with the Blazers sending the Suns back to the free-throw line over and over again in crunch time. But with the Blazers down by one, 110-109, in the dying embers of the game, it was Avdija who got Portland across the finish line as the winner.

Taking on Jordan Goodwin in isolation, Avdija broke down the Suns guard with ease and finished at the cup with an impressive layup — drawing the sixth foul on Dillon Brooks in the process. This proved to be the game-winning shot after the Blazers stood tall with a defensive stop on the ensuing possession, and two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday couldn’t be any more impressed with how his teammate played.

“We needed him. We needed him all game. Him just being him. ‘Turbo’ is like no other. He puts pressure on the paint. He can knock down a three, he can get everybody else open shots. He does everything for us,” Holiday said in his postgame interview on NBA on Prime.

"He does everything for us."

Jrue Holiday had HIGH PRAISE for Deni Avdija after his big game to lead the Blazers to the playoffs

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/OW2iLERaoM

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 15, 2026

“Turbo” is quite the fitting nickname for Avdija, as he careens into the paint at 100 miles per hour in hopes of getting a bucket or just putting up points on the board via the foul line. What awaits him now, however, is a first-round playoff matchup against the fiercest rim protector in the NBA today in San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

The post Blazers’ Jrue Holiday gives Deni Avdija his flowers over clutch shot vs. Suns appeared first on ClutchPoints.