Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter highlighted his team’s belief and composure after overcoming a 13-point deficit against the Houston Rockets at Moda Center on Friday. “There was a lot of game… we were in this situation many times this season and I told them we had a chance to win,” Splitter said.
Splitter credited his players’ adherence to their roles and timely execution. “Everybody just stayed in their role and did the right thing to chase that win,” he said, noting the team’s ability to perform in key moments.
Deni Avdija’s impact drew particular attention from Splitter, who emphasized his defensive and playmaking contributions. “Of course Deni creates so much attention to the other teams… he was just trying to pass the ball to the guys, give it to whoever was rolling,” Splitter explained. Avdija scored 20 points, including four crucial free throws that gave Portland the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Toumani Camara also received praise after recording a career-high 25 points. “He just started the game hot… kept us in the game shooting those threes and doing great plays at the rim as well,” Splitter said, noting Camara’s defensive assignments against Kevin Durant and his overall efficiency on both ends.
The coach emphasized the contributions of Duop Reath, who played key minutes off the bench. “Huge. He got two blocks, scored a three, just brought us a different look, different fire, kept his composure and helped us,” Splitter said, highlighting the importance of bench readiness.
Splitters discussed the team’s approach to defending Kevin Durant while limiting other threats. “Sometimes you just got to see who is the main guy there… Kevin Durant… and that results in some threes for other guys. You have some priorities,” he explained. Durant finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 31,422 points.
Rookie Yang Hansen earned recognition for his defensive effort. “He’s competing to win basketball games… fighting with probably the strongest center in the league right now. I’m happy with what I saw these last two games from Hansen,” Splitter said.
Splitter also lauded his team’s hustle in the final minutes, including a key steal by Amen Thompson and efforts on 50/50 balls. “It was amazing to see… he wants to win so bad,” Splitter noted, reflecting on the team’s intensity down the stretch.
Portland improved to 19-20 with the victory, extending their winning streak to five games, while Houston fell to 22-13. The Trail Blazers will host the New York Knicks in their next matchup, and the Rockets visit Sacramento on Sunday.
