Damian Lillard leads Portland into a Wednesday rematch with Oklahoma City after the Trail Blazers won 123-103 on Tuesday behind 24 points from Deni Avdija.
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Damian Lillard will lead the Portland Trail Blazers into a Wednesday night rematch against the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder after Portland secured a 123-103 home win on Tuesday.
Lillard, 36, scored in Portland’s win and helped the Trail Blazers turn a tie game at halftime into a 17-point lead during the third quarter.
The Trail Blazers ended the Thunder’s four-game winning streak, cruising to just their second victory in the past 21 meetings with Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points and eight rebounds, but he did not play in the final quarter and made eight of 22 shots from the field.
Portland received a boost from Deni Avdija, who posted 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds to halt a two-game slide for the Trail Blazers.
Lillard’s 30-foot three-pointer late in the third quarter extended Portland’s momentum, with the Thunder unable to close the gap as Portland pulled away.
The Thunder were also without Jared McCain’s higher output, as he matched his season best with 21 points for his third 20-point game of the season.
Second-year pro Nique Clifford made his Oklahoma City debut after the Thunder acquired him from the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2028 and 2030.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of Lillard and Avdija, “You can't be sloppy with your fundamentals or they'll burn you,” and later added of Clifford, “There's a versatility to him. On offense, he can play into a system. He seems to be a guy who can fit into what we do as a plug-in guy.”
For the Trail Blazers, Deni Avdija praised Lillard’s range and decision-making, saying, “He can pull up from halfcourt. He spaces the floor and makes the right decisions. He's a great basketball player. We all benefit from him. It is very nice to have him.”
Lillard’s return to Portland this season comes after he sat out last season following an Achilles tendon injury with the Milwaukee Bucks during the postseason in April 2025.
The Trail Blazers also saw guard Chris Youngblood exit Tuesday’s game with a right foot injury and are unlikely to play him in the rematch.
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