The Concerning Problem With Deni Avdija’s Blazers Role

Due to his reliance on getting to the line and driving into the paint, teams can prepare for him. By matching him up against physical defenders, teams can limit his impact. That is what the Knicks did on Friday, holding him to four points for the majority of the game. He finished with 11 points, but he was terribly inefficient, shooting 4-for-14 from the field.

This has led to some fans’ concerns about his role within Splitter’s system. If he is not overpowering his defenders, he can be anonymous. Most of the time, he can rely on Shaedon Sharpe to pick up the slack. However, Sharpe can have a good game, but he still needs help from his teammates.

Portland’s Offense is in a Messy Situation

Before the season started, most people saw Portland improving on offense. With Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson leading the way, they had legitimate playmakers. Unfortunately, both players have suffered injuries, which led to Avdija taking the reins.

Avdija did a great job filling in as point guard, but it made the Blazers’ offense predictable. If it was not Avdija attacking, it was Sharpe. Considering the Blazers’ forward is not the most dynamic offensive player, the offense had issues.

Now that Holiday is back, there are still some concerning issues. The Blazers are not as fluid as people would like. A floor general should be resolving some of the issues. However, Avdija is not playing as well as people expect, as he is also coming off a back injury.

Sharpe is still doing well, scoring 26 points against the Knicks and 31 against the Washington Wizards. While Sharpe’s performances often set the tone for the Blazers, Portland’s offense is not at an optimal level.

Splitter’s System Must Maximize The Players’ Skillsets

When anyone watches the Blazers, they can see that there are some problems with the offense. They are not maximizing Donovan Clingan‘s size in the paint, as he is consistently shooting three-pointers. Off-ball movement continues to be an issue, as only Sharpe and Toumani Camara constantly move.

The pick-and-roll is not as effective as they would like, either. Clingan and Robert Williams III are good screeners, but they lack dynamic offensive players. Henderson can resolve this when he returns, but Damian Lillard might be the only solution.

Avdija must also do better with his performances. He is reliable when he plays his usual game of being aggressive with drives. However, he needs to work on his in-between game and three-point shooting. The Blazers will be much more dynamic if he develops those skills.

The Blazers must adjust to teams’ scouting. Avdija is now at the top of scouting reports, so Splitter’s system must maximize every player.