The loudest headline in this series is Victor Wembanyama's playoff debut. The more useful Portland headline is that Deni Avdija already put 29 points on this matchup on April 9.
That does not make the Trail Blazers favorites, and it does not erase that San Antonio won that game 112-101. It does make Avdija the clearest reason this series should be discussed as something more than a coronation setup for the Spurs' young star.
Underdog cases often get padded with mood. Energy, fearlessness, house money. Avdija gives Portland something cleaner than that. He gives the Blazers a proven scoring reference point against this exact opponent. In a series that is going to be framed around Wembanyama's size, reach and playoff arrival, Portland needs a subject that is about actual pressure, not just spirit.
Avdija fits because his role is easy to understand. He is not the side detail in the preview; he is the part of it that suggests Portland can make San Antonio answer real offensive questions. The Blazers also have Toumani Camara's shooting as a helpful support piece, but Avdija is the sharper edge because he has already shown he can carry volume into this setup.
San Antonio still has the cleaner overall case. The Spurs won the season series 2-1, and they have more natural spotlight. But if Portland is going to make this feel uncomfortable rather than ceremonial, the path probably starts with Avdija forcing the series to be about more than Wembanyama's debut.