NBA
Wizards In Search Of More Consistency From Deni Avdija
![Deni_Avdija_Maccabi_Tel_Aviv_2020_Icon](https://www.basketballinsiders.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Deni_Avdija_Maccabi_Tel_Aviv_2020_Icon.jpg.webp)
The Washington Wizards are 11-13 so far this season which is second in the Southeast Division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. They are 3-7 in their last ten games and are on a three-game losing streak. Washington’s leaders this season are Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, while the team looks for consistency is some of their younger players. One in particular is starting SF, Deni Avdija.
Avdija has shown flashes of being a key role player or maybe even more for the Wizards, but has struggled to play that way on a consistent basis. From 11/10-11/27, Avdija had double figures scoring in seven of those nine games over that span. Since then he’s scored 20 points in four games played in December. He’s searching for more consistency in his young NBA career.
NBA betting sites have the Wizards at (+25000) to win the Finals this season.
Injury report for tomorrow night's matchup vs. the Bulls.#DCAboveAll | @ChasenBoscolo pic.twitter.com/coKHNWfxk4
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) December 6, 2022
Deni Avdija struggling with consistency in Washington
He was the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and there’s been times where Avdija has shown that star potential. There’s also been times where it’s been really bad, including a game vs the Hornets last Friday where he went scoreless and went 1-8 from deep vs the Lakers on Sunday. His head coach spoke on how the 21 year old is till trying to put it all together.
“We want to instill confidence in him. He’s a big part of what we want to do moving forward. We have to lean into that and continue to breathe life and confidence into him,”… “I just want him to understand that we still trust and believe in him. We want him to succeed. How can we help him and put him in a position to have more success?” – Wes Unseld Jr.
Unseld Jr. said Avdija has a lot of upside to be an elite defender in this league. At six-foot nine, he has a lot of length and versatility for SF and knows that Avdija is capable of being a playmaker for his team as well. He wants to get him to a point where it doesn’t matter how well he’s doing offensively, and become a lockdown defender.