“I’ve been on the beach a little bit, relaxed my mind and got ready to kill the second half of the season,” Avdija said following Wednesday’s practice. “I feel like it’s important. We have a chance to make the play-in, and we’re all in it. We’re preparing. We’re doing the best we can, and can’t wait to go back on the court.”

The Portland Trail Blazers will come out of the All-Star break Thursday night with a home matchup against the new-look Los Angeles Lakers. The matchup will mark Portland’s first game in eight days, and it’ll give the Blazers an early look at the Lakers’ new superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic.