Avdija's Late FTs Seal Blazers' 134-133 OT Win Over Kings

Portland, Oregon - Deni Avdija sank two free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining in overtime to finish with a career-high 35 points, lifting the Portland Trail Blazers to a 134-133 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night at the Moda Center.

The win capped a chaotic finish in the opener of a home-and-home series, as the Kings rallied from an 18-point deficit late in the fourth quarter to force overtime and briefly took a one-point lead in the extra period. DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points for Sacramento, including a go-ahead jumper with 4.4 seconds left in overtime that put the Kings ahead 133-132. With no timeouts remaining, Avdija grabbed the inbound pass, drove downcourt and attempted a shot from the right wing. Contact from Russell Westbrook resulted in a foul call by crew chief Marc Davis, sending Avdija to the line. He converted both attempts, and Sacramento's Keon Ellis missed a desperation heave at the buzzer.

The call sparked immediate protests from the Kings, who had begun celebrating after Avdija's shot missed the rim, unaware of the whistle amid the noise. Avdija later described the sequence as unexpected. "I did create a lot of contact," he said. "I didn't...