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Deni Avdija · The basketball world should’ve perhaps considered itself warned when Deni Avdija popped up on 2023-24’s Most Improved Player of the Year balloting with a sixth-place finish. Though, as the Toronto Raptors learned on March 16, 2025, the ascension of the Portland Trail Blazers’ new star — both literally and statistically — still had higher depths to reach. Fresh-legged during a time in which many wouldn’t be, Avdija readies himself for a switch-inviting ball screen, ultimately working into a gliding gather move before Jamison Battle’s defensive stance can even process a response. Sprung through the air with a purpose, Avdija puts Orlando Robinson Jr.’s 7-foot frame on a poster through a two-handed flush, bringing the Moda Center to life in the game’s final minutes. Epitomizing efficiency, Avdija matched his victory-securing clutch gene with a 19-point box score (on just eight shots), supported by six rebounds, six assists, a steal, and healthy marks from deep (three-of-six) and from the foul line (eight-of-nine). · State of Mint