Deni Avdija delivered 30 points in his return from a back injury as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Sacramento Kings 117-110 on Sunday night at Golden 1 Center.
The forward also posted eight assists and eight rebounds, showing no lingering effects after missing three games with a strained lower back suffered last weekend against New York.
Avdija shot 10-of-18 from the field and went a perfect 8-of-8 at the line in 31 minutes, stabilizing Portland’s offense throughout the night.
The win marked Portland’s ninth victory in 12 games and its 12th in the last 15, lifting the club back to .500 at 22-22 for the first time since Nov. 11.
Shaedon Sharpe matched Avdija’s scoring impact with 26 points, consistently attacking closeouts and pushing the pace in transition.
Donovan Clingan controlled the interior with 21 points and 17 rebounds, giving Portland a significant edge on the glass.
Toumani Camara added 17 points, helping the Trail Blazers sweep the season series by winning their third straight game against Sacramento.
Portland led by as many as 14 and entered the fourth quarter in control before the Kings made a push early in the final period.
Sacramento cut the margin to 95-86, but Clingan scored seven points over the final nine minutes to halt the momentum and secure the result.
The Trail Blazers were short-handed on the second night of a back-to-back, playing without Jrue Holiday, Jerami Grant, and Robert Williams III due to injury management.
Despite the absences, Portland shot 48 percent from the field and converted 29 of 33 free throws, offsetting a 25 percent night from three-point range.
Malik Monk led the Kings with 23 points off the bench, providing a spark during the fourth-quarter rally.
Russell Westbrook finished with 20 points and seven assists, while Domantas Sabonis had eight points and six turnovers in his second game back after missing 27 games with a knee injury.
Sacramento dropped to 12-31 after losing for the first time in five games on its current homestand.
Portland hosts the Miami Heat on Thursday night, while Sacramento remains home to face Miami on Tuesday.
