Blazers send Spurs home with Deni Avdija dagger

Deni Avdija came through with clutch shots during the Portland Trail Blazers' matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.

Avdija is going through his sixth season in the NBA, his second with the Blazers. He has bloomed into one of the league's best stars, standing out as Portland's top scorer while having the squad in the conversation for a potential playoff spot.

Avdija was due for a big game during Portland's matchup against San Antonio. Being on the road, they needed a strong win over one of the best performing teams in the league and Avdija pulled through. One of his big shots came within the final minute of regulation, pulling up for a tough 3-pointer over the San Antonio defender to put Portland up 114-110.

How Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers played against Spurs

Deni Avdija and the Blazers stunned the Spurs with big plays down the stretch, escaping with the 115-110 win on the road.

Portland had a strong start to the game, taking a 35-24 lead after the first quarter. Despite San Antonio's efforts to rally back, the Blazers made enough plays in the fourth quarter to stop the comeback and secure the victory.

Four players scored in double-digits for Portland in the win, including Avdija. He led the way with a triple-double performance of 29 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and a block. He shot 9-of-23 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. Donovan Clingan came next with 24 points and 12 rebounds, Toumani Camara had 20 points and eight rebounds, while Caleb Love provided 16 points and five rebounds.

Portland improved to a 16-20 record on the season, holding the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings. They are even with the Memphis Grizzlies while trailing the Golden State Warriors by 2.5 games and Phoenix Suns by five games.

The Trail Blazers will look forward to their next matchup, being at home. They host the Utah Jazz on Jan. 5 at 10 p.m. ET.