Apr 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) fouls Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images via Reuters

Israeli basketball player Deni Avdija scored 41 points on Tuesday night while leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a 114-110 win over the Phoenix Suns, securing them the No. 7 seed in the NBA Western Conference Playoffs starting this weekend.

The Tel Aviv native and NBA All-Star, who had never played in the NBA’s postseason until Tuesday, finished with 41 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, and the winning three-point play with 16.1 seconds left to the game inside the Mortgage Matchup Center in Arizona. The 25-year-old is now the first Israeli to reach the NBA Playoffs, the state of Israel said on its official Instagram page.

Avdija rallied his team from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night and is only the fifth player to score at least 40 points in the history of the play-in tournament, joining a short list that includes Jayson Tatum, Coby White, Zion Williamson, and Anthony Davis, according to ESPN.

“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career so far,” Avdija said of the historic achievement of reaching the NBA Playoffs, as quoted by the Associated Press. Blazers guard Jrue Holiday called his teammate “unique” and said “nobody does what he does.”

“Deni coming out here, carrying us, especially down the stretch, getting that winning bucket and being able to go home knowing we’re playing San Antonio is something you love to see in Deni because this is what we expect from him now,” Holiday added.

The Blazers will compete in the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and will face the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs in the first round on Sunday inside the Frost Bank Center in Texas. The 2026 NBA playoffs will continue until the middle of June, with the NBA Finals beginning June 3.