Lillard and Avdija Lead Trail Blazers Past Thunder 123-103 in Portland Upset

The Portland Trail Blazers produced the upset of the NBA night on Tuesday, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-103 at Moda Center in Portland. Damian Lillard scored 25 points and Deni Avdija added 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds as Portland pulled away with a decisive third-quarter surge, outscoring one of the Western Conference's top teams 38-21 in the period. The 20-point win was only Portland's second victory over Oklahoma City in the past 21 meetings, and it ended the Thunder's four-game winning streak.

Key Points

• Final score: Portland Trail Blazers 123, Oklahoma City Thunder 103, on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
• Damian Lillard scored 25 points, including 13 in the third quarter, and made four three-pointers. He did not play in the fourth quarter.
• Deni Avdija finished with 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and Sidy Cissoko scored 17 points off the bench for Portland.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 26 points and eight rebounds, but shot 8-for-22 and also sat out the fourth quarter.
• The game was tied 59-59 at halftime before Portland won the third quarter 38-21. The teams meet again on Wednesday night in Portland.

What Happened

For a half, there was nothing between the two teams. Oklahoma City and Portland traded baskets through the first two quarters, and the game reached halftime tied at 59-59. Gilgeous-Alexander had 20 points before the break, while Lillard had 12 points for Portland and was still feeling his way into the game.

The third quarter changed everything. Oklahoma City still led 71-70 after a basket by Ajay Mitchell with 7:09 remaining in the period, and at that point the game looked set for a tight finish. Instead, Portland ran off nine straight points and scored 18 of the next 22, turning a one-point deficit into a double-digit lead in a matter of minutes. Lillard caught fire, scoring 13 points in the quarter and hitting three of Portland's seven three-pointers in the period. Avdija added a layup and a three-pointer to stretch the lead to 14 points, and then Lillard buried a signature 30-foot three with 1.1 seconds left on the clock, sending Portland into the final quarter ahead 97-80.

The fourth quarter was a formality. Portland's lead was 14 points early in the period before Jrue Holiday buried a three-pointer and added a floater to make it 108-89 with 7:33 left. Cissoko then made two three-pointers in 55 seconds, the second giving Portland a 20-point lead with 4:53 to play. Donovan Clingan collected 13 rebounds for Portland, Toumani Camara added 12 points, and Holiday and Scoot Henderson scored 11 points each. Jared McCain added 21 points and Ajay Mitchell had 14 for Oklahoma City. Both Lillard and Gilgeous-Alexander spent the fourth quarter on the bench, underlining how completely the game had been decided in the third.

Background and Context

The result was a surprise because of how one-sided this matchup has been in recent years. Portland's win was only its second over Oklahoma City in the past 21 meetings, a run of dominance that had made the Thunder one of the most difficult opponents on the Blazers' schedule. Oklahoma City arrived in Portland as one of the best teams in the Western Conference, riding a four-game winning streak. Portland, by contrast, came into the game smarting from a 125-103 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, when Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points in just 24 minutes, and a 124-118 defeat by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, when Luka Doncic banked in a 62-foot buzzer-beater and finished with 53 points. Tuesday's game was also the first of back-to-back meetings between the teams, with the rematch scheduled for Wednesday night in Portland.

Trail Blazers Beat Thunder 123-103 Behind a 38-21 Third Quarter

The numbers behind the win tell the story of a team that shared the ball and hunted good shots. Portland made 19 of 50 from behind the arc, good for 38 percent, while Oklahoma City made only 8 of 22, on a night when both teams shot 44 percent from the field. Clingan's 13 rebounds helped the Blazers control the glass and limit Oklahoma City's second chances. Gilgeous-Alexander's 8-for-22 night was uncharacteristic for a player who had scored 20 points in the first half alone, and the Thunder scored only 21 points in the third quarter and 23 in the fourth as Portland pulled away.

Reactions and Quotes

No post-game player or coach quotations were carried in the wire reports checked for this story, so none are quoted here. What the night did provide was a clear on-court statement. Lillard's 30-foot three-pointer at the end of the third quarter brought the Moda Center crowd to its feet and summed up the shift in the game: a shot from well beyond the arc, taken with total confidence.

Why It Matters

The win matters for Portland because it breaks a pattern. Losing 19 of 21 meetings to the same opponent can weigh on a team, and beating Oklahoma City by 20 points, in front of a home crowd, is the kind of result that changes how a locker room sees itself. It also matters in the Western Conference standings, where every win over a fellow contender carries extra weight. For Oklahoma City, the loss is a reminder that even the best teams have off nights, and that a four-game winning streak can end quickly when the shots stop falling.

What Happens Next

The two teams meet again on Wednesday night in Portland, the second game of the back-to-back set. Oklahoma City will look to adjust its defence on Lillard and Avdija and find more scoring beyond Gilgeous-Alexander and McCain. Portland will try to repeat the formula: share the ball, make threes, control the glass and let Lillard hunt his shot in the third quarter. A second straight win over the Thunder would be an even bigger statement than the first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score between the Trail Blazers and the Thunder?
Portland won 123-103 at Moda Center in Portland on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

Who led Portland in scoring?
Damian Lillard scored 25 points, including 13 in the third quarter, and Deni Avdija added 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

How many points did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score?
Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 26 points and eight rebounds, but shot 8-for-22 from the field.

What decided the game?
Portland's third quarter. The Blazers outscored Oklahoma City 38-21 in the period, turning a 59-59 halftime tie into a 97-80 lead.

When do the Trail Blazers and Thunder play again?
The teams meet again on Wednesday night in Portland, the second game of their back-to-back set.

Related coverage: the Spurs beat the Trail Blazers 125-103 on Saturday, Luka Doncic's 62-foot buzzer-beater sparked the Lakers' 124-118 win over Portland, and the Thunder routed the Wizards 114-75 in their previous blowout win.