As Rip City held its collective breath, fretting over the intolerable possibility of another injury, Deni Avdija uttered eight words that spurred a gigantic exhale. “I’m not freaking out about it,” the Portland Trail Blazers forward said.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Shaedon Sharpe scored 27 points and had seven rebounds and four steals, and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to four games with a 127-110 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Live coverage of the Miami Heat vs. Portland Trail Blazers NBA game on ESPN, including live score, highlights and updated stats.

The Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers meet Thursday at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.

Portland Trail Blazers small forward Deni Avdija left Thursday's game against the Miami Heat.

The Heat is now 1-2 on its five-game West Coast trip.

The matter came to light this week when Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija spoke about the online comments he receives. He said that the negativity ignores basketball and instead targets his background.

The Portland Trail Blazers are looking to get back to .500 in the 2025-26 season as they take on the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. This is the second night

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers fell 132-116 on the road to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday with Luka Doncic sidelined.

Since arriving in Portland, Avdija has flourished in an expanded role, embodying the team’s vision for the future. As the Trail Blazers continue their push toward contention, his injury status will remain closely monitored, with his availability shaping the outlook of their season.

A few notes from a rare Trail Blazers practice, including Avdija's sleeping habits, reaction to Jimmy Butler's injury and reaching .500.