Deni Avdija Held Back From Charging At De'Aaron Fox As Spurs Hunt Trail Blazers' All-Star [Video]

A tough night for Deni Avdija and the Trail Blazers today as the Spurs ended their playoff run with a resounding 114-95 win. During the game, the Spurs targeted Avdija with physicality on both ends of the floor. In the third quarter, Avdija nearly lost his temper and charged towards De’Aaron Fox, ending up on the floor while attempting to drive past him. Teammates had to hold him back from confronting Fox, as shown in a video of the incident. This was not the only incident where Avdija was targeted by the Spurs’ physicality. In the first quarter, Keldon Johnson battled with Avdija in the post and reportedly said something offensive to him, which went viral on social media. Even the Spurs’ fans created a distracting atmosphere for Avdija, bringing out a chipped tooth sign during free throws. During Game 3 of the series, Avdija had already chipped his front tooth, indicating he was under pressure. Despite multiple incidents, Avdija finished the game with 22 points, three rebounds, and three assists, struggling with a net rating of -20. He shot 7-15 from the floor (46.7 FG%) and 1-6 from beyond the arc (16.7 3P%). Avdija expressed resilience and teamwork in his postgame comments, saying, 'I don’t know if it was a lesson, but definitely an experience. For the team and me, as a group, to fight together, see what it’s like to play in the playoff physicality and atmosphere. You’ve got to stay resilient, and you’ve got to do it together.' The Spurs have their eyes on the Nuggets-Timberwolves series to determine their next opponent, while Avdija and the Trail Blazers plan their vacation. The Spurs’ strategy to target the Trail Blazers’ best player in the second round remains to be seen.