bleacherreport
Damian Lillard's much-anticipated return to the Portland Trail Blazers could hardly have gone smoother. After missing the entire 2025-26 season and spending the prior two years with the Milwaukee Bucks, the franchise icon stepped back onto the court for the team he is most associated with and delivered a vintage performance in Wednesday's 124-83 demolition of the Phoenix Suns.
Lillard showcased his trademark deep range, pouring in 25 points on silky-smooth shooting from beyond the arc. He wasn't the only new face making an impact in the backcourt: Ja Morant, playing his first game for Portland, contributed 14 points and 8 assists, providing secondary scoring and timely playmaking.
For Phoenix, Devin Booker turned in a solid 23-point effort, but it was far from enough as the Suns opened their season with a lopsided defeat.
Key Analysis
The biggest question surrounding the Trail Blazers this season is how the Lillard-Morant pairing will hold up from both a health and basketball-fit perspective. If Wednesday was any indication, Portland has nothing to worry about.
The home team scored the first 21 points of the game in a stunning start and won the first quarter 43-12. The game was essentially over the rest of the way, which allowed the backcourt duo to play freely and avoid seeing too many minutes early in the season. Morant and Lillard each hit from deep during that initial spurt to seize control and remained willing facilitators whenever defenders collapsed.
There is no question Lillard is going to stretch the floor with his outside shooting, but Morant finding his stroke from deep would be particularly important for Portland. That will clear the lane even more for Deni Avdija to attack in space, which could fully unlock the team's offense.
Avdija was the Trail Blazers' go-to option last season with Lillard sidelined and Morant not even on the team, and he will surely remain a focal point even with the veteran guards handling the ball. That was clear Wednesday, as he notched a double-double while attacking the rim and even shooting from deep on his own as a matchup nightmare.
There will be more challenging games for the Trail Blazers this season, but everything clicked in the opener. And now they will look to keep things rolling when they hit the road to face the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Originally reported by bleacherreport.