Blazers Rally from 22 Points Down to Defeat Thunder 121-119

PORTLAND, Ore. — In a stunning comeback, the Portland Trail Blazers overturned a 22-point deficit to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 on Wednesday night at the Moda Center.

The Blazers, now 5-3, stunned the undefeated defending champions as they developed their most impressive performance of the young season before a crowd of 16,822 fans. Deni Avdija led the way, overcoming a poor start to finish with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Jrue Holiday contributed 22 points and Jerami Grant added 20 points off the bench.

After a disastrous beginning that saw them trailing 41-21 at the end of the first quarter, the Blazers regrouped and began to chip away at the Thunder’s lead. Despite shooting just 30% for much of the game, Portland found the spark they needed in the final quarter, hitting 13 of 16 attempts and draining 6 of 7 three-point shots.

“We just stayed focused,” Avdija said. “We knew we could come back if we just kept playing hard.”

With 6:44 left in the game, Holiday made a crucial shot to give the Blazers a 97-96 lead. They never trailed again, responding to every Thunder challenge with major plays in the clutch.

The Thunder, now 8-1, were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 35 points. However, their eight-game winning streak came to an end as the Blazers executed a remarkable comeback that left fans in disbelief.

Early in the game, the Blazers’ offense struggled dramatically, resulting in seven turnovers and a dismal 23% shooting performance in the first quarter. Many fans feared the game was lost, but coach Tiago Splitter rallied the team during the break.

“We could see they were trying too hard,” Splitter said. “Once they settled down, they showed what they could do.”

In a related note, the Blazers announced Blake Wesley underwent successful foot surgery and is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks as he recovers from a fracture. Wesley had impressed many with his play earlier this season, averaging 6.0 points and showing relentless effort before his injury.

The Blazers will next face the Miami Heat on Saturday at 5 p.m. as they continue a five-game road trip.