The Portland Trail Blazers’ first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs has been quite eventful. They are down 2-1 now, but Game 3 exposed a key problem for Portland that must be solved sooner than later.
Trail Blazers’ Game 3 Loss Exposes Overlooked Problem
Before the playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers had low expectations. Now that they have played three postseason games, it is clear they can do much more. Winning Game 2 was impressive, especially behind Scoot Henderson‘s breakout performance.
With Victor Wembanyama‘s absence in Game 3, the Blazers had a clear opportunity to capitalize on. Unfortunately, a persistent yet overlooked problem reared its ugly head again.
Deni Avdija Part of Glaring Issue
While he is the Trail Blazers’ main man and All-Star, Deni Avdija can be a hindrance at times. During Game 3, it was clear that he was not in rhythm. On paper, he had 19 points, six rebounds, and nine assists. However, the way he got those numbers was not a good look for the Trail Blazers.
Game 3 was a golden opportunity for Portland to take the 2-1 lead. At halftime, they were in a prime position. They led 65-59 after two quarters, and it would’ve been smooth sailing had they kept playing well. Unfortunately, the Blazers’ season-long offensive issues popped up once again.
Avdija had an extremely rough game, shooting an abysmal 3-for-15 from the field. He managed to be aggressive enough to nail 12 of his 16 free-throw attempts. However, it was clear that Avdija was not playing well. When that happens, the Trail Blazers look lost because they keep going through him.
"How would you describe playing with Deni Avdija… How is he viewed around the league at this point and the step he's taken this year?"
Victor Wembanyama: "Takes a lot of free throws… Playing against him… Advice is to not defend without fouling."pic.twitter.com/OgzdR1roYl
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 17, 2026
In Game 3, Henderson and Jrue Holiday were superb. Unfortunately, it still felt like they were not getting enough touches. They had more shot attempts, but Avdija had a clear lead with his usage rate at 27.7%. Compared to Henderson’s 23.4% and Holiday’s 20.8%, that is not a good look for Portland’s offense.
Moving forward, interim head coach Tiago Splitter must trust his guards more. It can be tough to stomach, but this has been an underrated problem for a while.
Splitter’s Coaching Is Not Convincing Enough
Splitter has been a great coach for Portland. Since the second game of the season, he has taken over as a fresh face in the locker room. Now, it seems he has a clear vision for the Blazers’ defense. They are quite physical and have all the tools to thrive in that area.
Splitter has also done a great job adjusting amid all the Blazers’ injuries this season. Unfortunately, Portland’s future should have a more cohesive system rather than on-the-fly adjustments. Splitter’s coaching is decent, but he could be much better with more established concepts.
Defensively, he does not need to dig deeper; he just has to work out some of the small issues. On offense, Splitter must find ways to solve Portland’s glaring problems with turnovers. Avdija has a high usage rate, and that is an issue because the offense becomes predictable.
It’s gonna really hurt if we lose this one
We need to play through Scoot far more than we are right now, Deni can’t make a shot
— Blazers Lead (@BlazersLead) April 25, 2026
Relying on more players can resolve this issue. Henderson and Holiday are the clear answers for playmakers. When Avdija gets the ball, the offense stops. With Henderson, Holiday, and even Shaedon Sharpe, they can have a more dynamic system.
That is up to Splitter to be more creative with his offense. They can run more sets, be intentional with ball movement, and be more aggressive. In rare spurts during Game 3, Henderson and Holiday showed they can solve the problem. They just need more touches for themselves and fewer touches for Avdija.
© Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
