Damian Lillard is officially back on the court for the Portland Trail Blazers, and man, did he make a statement! After sitting out the entire 2025-26 season and playing two years with the Milwaukee Bucks, Dame Dolla returned to the franchise he is most closely associated with and led them to a ridiculous 124-83 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. It was a blowout, plain and simple.
Dame’s Return and Morant’s Thunderous Debut
Lillard looked like his old self, unleashing silky smooth shots from beyond the arc on his way to 25 points. But he wasn’t the only star lighting it up. Ja Morant, in his first game with the team, provided secondary scoring and timely assists, racking up 14 points and 8 assists. These guys weren’t playing around. The Blazers came out of the gate absolutely feral, scoring the first 21 points of the game. Yeah, you read that right, *twenty-one points to zero*. They then completely obliterated the Suns in the first quarter, winning it 43-12. Both Lillard and Morant were hitting shots from deep during that initial spurt, setting the tone and showing exactly why this new backcourt pairing could be absolutely lethal.
Unlocking the Offense and Crushing Doubts
The biggest question around this Blazers squad has been how Lillard and Morant would mesh, both in terms of health and on-court fit. If this opener was any indication, Portland can chill. These two played freely and didn’t even need crazy minutes because the game was essentially over in the first quarter. While Lillard stretching the floor with his outside shooting is a given, Morant finding his stroke from deep is particularly important. It’s going to open up the lane even more for Deni Avdija, who was the Blazers’ go-to guy last season when Lillard was out and Morant wasn’t even on the team. Avdija was a straight-up “matchup nightmare” on Wednesday, notching a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, attacking the rim and even hitting from deep himself. He’s still going to be a focal point, even with the two star guards handling the ball. Meanwhile, Devin Booker put up a solid 23 points for the Suns, and Dillon Brooks added 10 points, but it was nowhere near enough to stop this absolute onslaught. Everything just clicked for the Blazers in this opener.
This was just one game, sure, and there will be tougher matchups ahead. But man, what a statement. The Blazers looked absolutely locked in, and that Lillard-Morant combo is something special. They’re looking to keep this momentum rolling when they hit the road to face the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Blazers fans, you gotta be hyped for this!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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