NEW ORLEANS -- — Deni Avdija had 34 points and 11 assists and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 122-09 on Friday night.

Donovan Clingan had 11 points and 15 rebounds, Shaedon Sharpe scored 23 points and Caleb Love, who hit six 3-pointers, added 22 points for Portland, which took the lead for good in the second quarter en route to a third victory in four games.

Zion Williamson scored 35 points for New Orleans, but needed more help to prevent the Pelicans from dropping their sixth straight loss. Tookie Jeremiah Fears scored 18 points. Jordan Poole and Karlo Matkovic each had 16 points and Kevon Looney grabbed 12 rebounds.

Portland made 16 of 47 (34%) 3-point attempts, while New Orleans made just eight of 30 (26.7%) from deep.

Clingan grabbed nine of his rebounds on the offensive end and Portland had 24 second-chance points. The Blazers also scored 23 points off of 15 Pelicans turnovers.

The Pelicans were short-handed — missing Saddiq Bey (strained hip flexor), Trey Murphy III (back soreness) and productive rookie Derik Queen (left quad) — but shot 59.1% in the opening period, scored 37 points and could have had more had they not missed five of 13 free throws.

But their nine-point lead to start the second evaporated when they scored just 18 points on 9-of-22 shooting, including misses on all six attempts from deep in the quarter.

Portland took advantage, surging to a 63-55 halftime lead with the help of Avdija's 23 first-half points.

Up next

Trail Blazers: At San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.

Pelicans: At Miami on Sunday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Donovan Clingan vs. Yves Missi (Deni Avdija gains possession)	0	0
11:55	Yves Missi blocks Deni Avdija 's 5-foot two point shot	0	0
11:51	Donovan Clingan offensive rebound	0	0
11:50	Jeremiah Fears blocks Donovan Clingan 's 1-foot two point shot	0	0
11:46	Jeremiah Fears defensive rebound	0	0
11:45	Jeremiah Fears makes 3-foot running dunk	2	0
11:37	Shaedon Sharpe bad pass turnover (Bryce McGowens steals)	2	0
11:33	Bryce McGowens makes running layup	4	0
11:23	Kris Murray misses 24-foot three point jumper	4	0
11:21	Donovan Clingan offensive rebound	4	0
11:20	Yves Missi blocks Donovan Clingan 's 3-foot two point shot	4	0
11:19	Shaedon Sharpe offensive rebound	4	0
11:18	Jeremiah Fears blocks Shaedon Sharpe 's 3-foot two point shot	4	0
11:14	Trail Blazers offensive team rebound	4	0
11:09	Donovan Clingan misses 24-foot three point jumper	4	0
11:07	Zion Williamson defensive rebound	4	0
11:05	Deni Avdija personal foul	4	0
11:01	Kris Murray personal foul	4	0
10:57	Yves Missi makes 2-foot layup (Jeremiah Fears assists)	6	0
10:57	Donovan Clingan shooting foul	6	0
10:57	Yves Missi makes free throw 1 of 1	7	0
10:42	Bryce McGowens shooting foul	7	0
10:42	Deni Avdija makes free throw 1 of 2	7	1
10:42	Deni Avdija makes free throw 2 of 2	7	2
10:24	Bryce McGowens makes 22-foot three point jumper (Zion Williamson assists)	10	2
10:13	Toumani Camara makes 26-foot three point jumper (Deni Avdija assists)	10	5
9:59	Donovan Clingan defensive 3-seconds (technical foul)	10	5
9:59	Jordan Poole makes technical free throw	11	5
9:48	Zion Williamson misses driving floating jump shot	11	5
9:44	Zion Williamson offensive rebound	11	5
9:44	Zion Williamson misses tip shot	11	5
9:43	Donovan Clingan defensive rebound	11	5
9:42	Shaedon Sharpe makes 3-foot dunk (Deni Avdija assists)	11	7
9:38	Bryce McGowens bad pass turnover (Kris Murray steals)	11	7
9:35	Deni Avdija makes two point shot (Kris Murray assists)	11	9
9:21	Donovan Clingan shooting foul	11	9
9:21	Jordan Poole misses free throw 1 of 2	11	9
9:21	Pelicans offensive team rebound	11	9
9:21	Robert Williams III enters the game for Donovan Clingan	11	9
9:21	Jordan Poole makes free throw 2 of 2	12	9
9:05	Shaedon Sharpe makes 2-foot driving dunk (Deni Avdija assists)	12	11
8:57	Zion Williamson makes 2-foot two point shot	14	11
8:44	Deni Avdija makes 4-foot two point shot	14	13
8:31	Robert Williams III shooting foul	14	13
8:31	Bryce McGowens misses free throw 1 of 2	14	13
8:31	Pelicans offensive team rebound	14	13
8:31	Bryce McGowens makes free throw 2 of 2	15	13
8:12	Deni Avdija makes 9-foot fade away jump shot (Toumani Camara assists)	15	15
8:12	Bryce McGowens shooting foul	15	15
8:12	Deni Avdija makes free throw 1 of 1	15	16
8:00	Zion Williamson makes driving layup	17	16
7:51	Shaedon Sharpe misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	17	16
7:48	Bryce McGowens defensive rebound	17	16
7:43	Bryce McGowens misses driving floating jump shot	17	16
7:43	Bryce McGowens offensive rebound	17	16
7:43	Deni Avdija shooting foul	17	16
7:43	Trail Blazers Full timeout	17	16
7:43	Sidy Cissoko enters the game for Deni Avdija	17	16
7:43	Caleb Love enters the game for Kris Murray	17	16
7:43	Bryce McGowens makes free throw 1 of 2	18	16
7:43	Bryce McGowens makes free throw 2 of 2	19	16
7:29	Sidy Cissoko makes 23-foot three point jumper (Toumani Camara assists)	19	19
7:10	Zion Williamson makes 4-foot two point shot (Yves Missi assists)	21	19
7:10	Robert Williams III shooting foul	21	19
7:10	Zion Williamson misses free throw 1 of 1	21	19
7:07	Robert Williams III defensive rebound	21	19
6:54	Caleb Love makes 25-foot three point jumper (Sidy Cissoko assists)	21	22
6:38	Caleb Love shooting foul	21	22
6:38	Zion Williamson makes free throw 1 of 2	22	22
6:38	Zion Williamson misses free throw 2 of 2	22	22
6:35	Caleb Love defensive rebound	22	22
6:15	Shaedon Sharpe makes 23-foot three point jumper (Sidy Cissoko assists)	22	25
6:04	Toumani Camara personal foul	22	25
6:04	Zion Williamson misses free throw 1 of 2	22	25
6:04	Pelicans offensive team rebound	22	25
6:04	Micah Peavy enters the game for Bryce McGowens	22	25
6:04	Kevon Looney enters the game for Yves Missi	22	25
6:04	Zion Williamson makes free throw 2 of 2	23	25
5:52	Caleb Love bad pass turnover (Zion Williamson steals)	23	25
5:49	Jeremiah Fears makes running layup (Micah Peavy assists)	25	25
5:34	Toumani Camara misses 22-foot three point jumper	25	25
5:32	Robert Williams III offensive rebound	25	25
5:29	Shaedon Sharpe misses layup	25	25
5:27	Toumani Camara offensive rebound	25	25
5:15	Caleb Love vs. Micah Peavy (Sidy Cissoko gains possession)	25	25
5:11	Zion Williamson blocks Robert Williams III 's 5-foot dunk	25	25
5:07	Micah Peavy defensive rebound	25	25
5:04	Karlo Matkovic enters the game for Jeremiah Fears	25	25
5:04	Jose Alvarado enters the game for Zion Williamson	25	25
5:02	Jordan Poole misses 24-foot three point jumper	25	25
4:59	Micah Peavy offensive rebound	25	25
4:50	Micah Peavy misses 9-foot two point shot	25	25
4:48	Toumani Camara defensive rebound	25	25
4:36	Shaedon Sharpe misses 11-foot step back jumpshot	25	25
4:36	Trail Blazers offensive team rebound	25	25
4:36	Kevon Looney loose ball foul	25	25
4:36	Yang Hansen enters the game for Sidy Cissoko	25	25
4:28	Yang Hansen bad pass turnover (Kevon Looney steals)	25	25
4:18	Karlo Matkovic makes 23-foot running jump shot (Jordan Poole assists)	28	25
4:01	Caleb Love misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	28	25
3:59	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	28	25
3:53	Jordan Poole misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot	28	25
3:50	Kevon Looney offensive rebound	28	25
3:47	Micah Peavy misses 23-foot three point jumper	28	25
3:45	Shaedon Sharpe defensive rebound	28	25
3:45	Karlo Matkovic personal foul	28	25
3:33	Yang Hansen misses 23-foot three point jumper	28	25
3:30	Jose Alvarado defensive rebound	28	25
3:17	Jordan Poole misses driving layup	28	25
3:14	Robert Williams III defensive rebound	28	25
3:05	Toumani Camara bad pass turnover (Karlo Matkovic steals)	28	25
3:01	Karlo Matkovic makes 1-foot running dunk (Jordan Poole assists)	30	25
3:01	Trail Blazers Full timeout	30	25
3:01	Jordan Hawkins enters the game for Jordan Poole	30	25
3:01	Donovan Clingan enters the game for Caleb Love	30	25
3:01	Sidy Cissoko enters the game for Shaedon Sharpe	30	25
3:01	Deni Avdija enters the game for Toumani Camara	30	25
3:01	Rayan Rupert enters the game for Robert Williams III	30	25
3:01	Kris Murray enters the game for Yang Hansen	30	25
2:45	Kris Murray misses 24-foot three point jumper	30	25
2:41	Kevon Looney defensive rebound	30	25
2:38	Karlo Matkovic bad pass turnover (Sidy Cissoko steals)	30	25
2:37	Sidy Cissoko palming turnover	30	25
2:21	Jordan Hawkins steps out of bounds turnover	30	25
2:07	Deni Avdija makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot	30	27
1:49	Micah Peavy misses 2-foot reverse layup	30	27
1:47	Kevon Looney offensive rebound	30	27
1:47	Kevon Looney makes two point shot	32	27
1:26	Sidy Cissoko misses 26-foot three point jumper	32	27
1:22	Jose Alvarado defensive rebound	32	27
1:16	Karlo Matkovic makes 1-foot dunk (Jose Alvarado assists)	34	27
1:09	Karlo Matkovic blocks Sidy Cissoko 's 3-foot driving floating jump shot	34	27
1:05	Jose Alvarado defensive rebound	34	27
1:00	Karlo Matkovic makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jose Alvarado assists)	37	27
51.7	Micah Peavy shooting foul	37	27
51.7	Deni Avdija makes free throw 1 of 2	37	28
51.7	Deni Avdija makes free throw 2 of 2	37	29
36.0	Jordan Hawkins out of bounds bad pass turnover	37	29
25.2	Rayan Rupert misses 22-foot three point jumper	37	29
22.3	Jordan Hawkins defensive rebound	37	29
4.7	Jose Alvarado out of bounds bad pass turnover	37	29
0.1	Sidy Cissoko misses heave jump shot	37	29
0.1	Trail Blazers offensive team rebound	37	29
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	37	29

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Smoothie King Center

New Orleans, LA

Date & Time

1:00 AM, January 3, 2026

Coverage

GCSEN, Pelicans.com, KUNP 16, BlazerVision, NBA League Pass

Attendance

16,812

Referees

Courtney Kirkland, Andy Nagy, Tyler Ricks

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	40	13	.755	L2
Denver	34	19	.642	W1
Minnesota	32	22	.593	L2
Portland	25	28	.472	W2
Utah	16	37	.302	L2

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	36	16	.692	W4
Houston	32	19	.627	W1
Memphis	20	31	.392	L2
Dallas	19	33	.365	L7
New Orleans	14	40	.259	W1

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Deni Avdija has 34 points and 11 assists in the Trail Blazers' 122-109 win over the Pelicans

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