Overview
- Jrue Holiday played his first game since Nov. 14 after a right calf strain, logging 16 minutes off the bench for eight points and four assists under a strict minutes cap.
- Deni Avdija grabbed a late rebound, immediately clutched his lower back, and left for treatment; he later called it “nothing major,” but listed his status as TBD.
- Acting head coach Tiago Splitter said he was definitely worried about Avdija’s back, urging caution until further evaluation.
- The Knicks won 123-114 at the Moda Center, snapping Portland’s five-game winning streak and dropping the Blazers to 19-21.
- Avdija has driven Portland’s recent surge with about 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game while leading the league in total minutes, heightening the stakes of any absence for an injury-hit roster.