The Blazers are functionally in the same place as before the trade — hoping lottery luck can save them from mediocrity

Trail Blazers' Camara #33 is helped up by teammates Donovan Clingan #23 and Shaedon Sharpe #17 of the Portland Trail Blazers after drawing a foul during the third quarter of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Moda Center on January 28, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images) Getty Images

The Portland Trail Blazers held the upper hand throughout the second half on their way to a 125-112 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks and their former teammate.

Deni Avdija is proving to be a game-changer for the Portland Trail Blazers, and their offseason trade for him looks like a massive win.

Deni Avdija has gradually become the standout Trail Blazer on Portland’s roster. Due to his impressive performances, the versatile forward has become a Blazers building block and a vital part of their rebuilding process.

Damian Lillard makes a return trip to Portland as the Milwaukee Bucks look to win two in a row tonight vs. the Trail Blazers.

Blazers beat Bucks 125-112, keeping Damian Lillard winless in Portland. Avdija leads with 30 pts in dominant effort.

Get real-time NBA basketball coverage and scores as Milwaukee Bucks takes on Portland Trail Blazers. We bring you the latest game previews, live stats, and recaps on CBSSports.com

Portland beats Milwaukee 125-112 with Avdija’s season-high 30 points, taking down Lillard’s Bucks in their second matchup since the trade.

The rise of Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija continued Tuesday during a 125-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Moda Center. Avdija led the Blazers with a season-high 30 points and added nine rebounds with four assists, a performance coach Chauncey Billups recognized as the forward’s best since arriving to Rip City this season.

Deni Avdija finished with 13 points ... who have won four of five. MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard had 29 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and Milwaukee overcame travel issues to beat ...