Deni Avdija had himself a career night on Valentines Day, scoring a career-high 43 points while grabbing 14 rebounds as he led the short-handed Wizards in New Orleans.
Avdija became the first Wizard to record 40+ points and 15+ rebounds since Moses Malone on Jan. 12, 1987, per the team’s PR staff.
“It’s a little emotional,” Avdija said after the game. “I never thought that coming to the league, seeing all those numbers, those big players score those points, [I’d be] able to be that hot. All the hard work, the times that I was down or I didn’t have good games — I was down on myself a lot of times, and I stuck with it. I kept working hard, I kept being patient, I went through a lot. And for me, it’s only the start. I feel like I’m still getting better … but honestly, hard work and patience do pay off.”
While the Wizards lost the contest, these are the types of developments you want to see from a rebuilding team.
As we previously detailed in a feature on Avdija, the forward’s progress is fueled by his offseason work (as it is for many who make major strides in the NBA). Without Kyle Kuzma in the lineup, Avdija took full advantage of the opportunity to build on the progress he’s been making.
“A lot of my offense comes from me competing on defense and making stops and getting the rebounds,” Avdija continued. “That’s how I get in the game, that’s my bread and butter. It’s always going to be there, regardless of the offense, and I feel like that’s what gets me going a lot of games, getting to the defense, knowing the personnel, being there for my teammates and making big plays for the team to be able to compete.”
[Related: Deni Avdija’s Progress: Offseason Work Yields Bright Spot For Washington Wizards]
The forward’s six three-pointers made were a career-high as were his 11 free throws made.
Here are more Avdija stats from the Wizards’ PR team:
- Avdija’s 43 points scored are the most by a Wizards player this season.
- Avdija has now recorded a double-double in three of his last four outings.
- Avdija has now scored 20+ points in a career-best 10 games on the campaign, including in four straight games for the first time in his career.
- Avdija has now scored in double figures in 36 games this season, including in 21 of his last 25 outings.
- Avdija has now knocked down 2+ three-pointers in 13 total games this season.
*Graphic via the Washington Wizards
