Deni Avdija, Blazers Eager to Return to Playoffs After All-Star Break

Portland looks to build on late-season surge as it hosts defending champion Nuggets

Feb. 28, 2026 at 4:23pm

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The Portland Trail Blazers are eager to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season, sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. All-Star forward Deni Avdija has been a key reason for their resurgence, leading the team in scoring, assists, and rebounds. The Blazers face a tough test on Friday night as they host the defending champion Denver Nuggets, who are looking to bounce back after a narrow loss to the Clippers.

Why it matters

The Trail Blazers' playoff push is significant, as they have struggled to reach the postseason in recent years. A return to the playoffs would be a major accomplishment for the team and its fans. The matchup with the Nuggets is also important, as Denver is one of the top teams in the West and a potential playoff opponent for Portland.

The details

The Trail Blazers won four of their last five games before the All-Star break, and Avdija says the team is "healthy, ready to go" and confident heading into the final stretch of the season. Portland holds a 5 1/2-game lead over the 11th-place Memphis Grizzlies, but interim coach Tiago Splitter knows they still have work to do to secure a playoff spot. The Nuggets, meanwhile, are coming off a narrow loss to the Clippers and are looking to get back on track. Denver is led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but the team has struggled with consistency lately.

  • The Trail Blazers resume play on Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • Portland last made the playoffs in the 2020-21 season.

The players

Deni Avdija

The Trail Blazers' All-Star forward, who leads the team in scoring, assists, and rebounds.

Tiago Splitter

The interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jamal Murray

The Nuggets' star guard, who scored 20 points in their recent loss to the Clippers.

Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets' All-Star center, who had 22 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists in the loss to the Clippers.

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What they’re saying

“We're healthy, we're ready to go. Our spirits are up. We're in a good spot in the standings and our confidence is really good right now. So we're working out, the team chemistry is there, everybody's happy for each other and we just want to finish those 26 games strong.”

— Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers Forward

“We've got work to do. We've got to get better defensively, offensively, control better the rebounds, take care of the ball, turnovers. And then get the group back, a lot of guys that were on minutes restrictions, guys coming back from injury. Then we've got to put all of that together.”

— Tiago Splitter, Trail Blazers Interim Head Coach

“Jamal gave us a chance at the end on the free-throw line. He's the guy that we trust the most on our team to make those shots.”

— David Adelman, Nuggets Head Coach

“We're not making big shots. Hopefully that will change.”

— Nikola Jokic

What’s next

The Trail Blazers and Nuggets will face off again on Friday, February 20, 2026 in Portland.

The takeaway

The Trail Blazers' late-season surge has put them in position to return to the playoffs for the first time in several years, but they know they still have work to do to secure a postseason berth. Their matchup with the defending champion Nuggets will be a crucial test as they look to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.