Deni Avdija (ankle) questionable vs. Phoenix

Deni got what he wanted against this Kings defense where he got to the paint at a high level. The Kings had no answer to deal with his strength and athleticism barreling into the paint. No matter what they did, they couldn’t stop him. Deni has been awesome this season and has helped lead the Blazers to a great start to the season.

A double-digit scorer in seven straight games, Holiday provided solid fantasy value on Wednesday. In addition to the 19 points, he shot 5-of-8 from beyond the arc and recorded good numbers in assists and steals. Through 11 games, Holiday has been close to a top-100 fantasy player, something most managers did not expect before the season began.

One night removed from scoring 24 points in a win over the Thunder, Avdija was just as productive in the rematch. The 28 points were the most he’s scored in a game since November 2, when the Trail Blazers forward hit that number in a win over the Nuggets. While there were questions before the season began about Portland’s offensive pecking order, there haven’t been any issues so far, even when the currently injured Ja Morant was healthy. That’s great for those who used a top-50 draft pick on Avdija.

Avdija and Damian Lillard took over the third quarter of Tuesday’s 123-103 victory, combining to score 22 of the Trail Blazers’ 38 points. The former supplemented his nine points with three rebounds and three assists in the period, and Deni has scored at least 21 points in eight of Portland’s 10 games. The two teams meet again on Wednesday in what could be another big night for Avdija, who finished Tuesday’s win two assists shy of a double-double.

Avdija led the Trail Blazers in points and field-goal attempts on Saturday, but the overall stat line was underwhelming. Deni didn’t shoot well from the field and recorded just one assist. Surprisingly, Avdija’s fantasy value has slipped after Ja Morant’s hamstring injury. Over the last five games, he sits just outside the top-200 in nine-cat formats. Avdija will look to contribute more when Portland hosts Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

Avdija shot well from the field and finished one rebound shy of a triple-double. However, he also recorded a season-high eight turnovers. In the Trail Blazers’ last four games, Avdija has dished out 30 assists, taking on even more playmaking responsibilities with Ja Morant (hamstring) sidelined. Also, Friday’s eight turnovers were a departure from the norm, as Deni had not committed more than three in any game this season.

Krejčí exited Wednesday’s game with what the Trail Blazers described as a left ankle injury. Unfortunately, based on Nori’s update, he’s likely to be out for the foreseeable future. Krejčí’s absence won’t significantly affect fantasy basketball, but it does leave Portland down another wing option with Shaedon Sharpe already out.

Krejčí rolled his ankle late in the third quarter of Wednesday’s game and needed help getting back to the bench. He’s since been taken back to the locker room and will not return. Krejčí’s absence won’t have a major impact on fantasy basketball, but Portland may have to slide Chris Youngblood into the rotation.

Holiday didn’t step into the starting unit when Ja Morant (hamstring) went down, but he did step up off the bench in this game. He fell shy of the triple-double, but he did set season highs for both rebounds and assists in the win. Portland is now 5-1 this season, and Holiday has been a big part of their early success. He should continue to see a boost in production off the bench until Morant returns.

Avdija stayed hot in this one, and he has now scored at least 20 points in five straight games after being held to 18 points in the season opener. Most of his numbers this season are similar to last year, though his assists are slightly down. The main drop off has been his free throw percentage. After shooting 80.2 percent last year, he’s at 66.7 percent so far this season. If that improves, his overall fantasy value should jump back up.