Rockets’ Tari Eason wasn’t impressed by Deni Avdija’s big night at all

The Houston Rockets walked off the floor stunned after a 103–102 loss in a razor-thin finish against the Portland Trail Blazers, and the emotion carried straight into the postgame. Deni Avdija filled the stat sheet as the Blazers barely survived. Meanwhile, Rockets forward Tari Eason nearly flipped the night with a late-game hero moment that was taken away.

When The Athletic’s Will Guillory asked what made Deni Avdija difficult to defend, the Rockets forward paused, then answered with one word. “Zebras.”

Avdija delivered a massive night for Portland. He poured in 41 points on 13-of-24 shooting, hit 2-of-9 from three, and added six rebounds and two assists. Throughout the night, he hunted mismatches and bent the defense. Possession by possession, he forced rotations and kept pressure on the rim. He stayed aggressive until the final horn, and the Blazers needed every bit of it to escape the Rockets.

Still, the ending told the clearest story. In the closing seconds, Eason appeared to score the go-ahead bucket. Instead, officials reviewed the play and waved it off. The Rockets bench erupted. Around the arena, fans buzzed. As seconds drained away, the scoreboard froze at 103–102. In that moment, a single call flipped the night.

Even so, Tari Eason closed the game with 15 points and 13 rebounds. On the glass, he battled for every inch. Defensively, he guarded multiple spots. Despite frustration boiling around him, he stayed steady. The box score showed effort. The moment showed edge.

A result that sticks with the Rockets

This game also highlighted Deni Avdija’s season-long rise. Through 38 games, he is averaging 26.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from deep. Portland trusts him with everything late. Houston felt that weight possession after possession.

But the Rockets felt something else too. A sense of being robbed. These losses linger because they teach. They harden teams. They test composure. Tari Eason’s blunt response captured that tension perfectly.

So now the question hangs in the air: does this one-point heartbreak become fuel that sharpens the Rockets, or just another scar in a season defined by tight margins?

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