Suns vs. Trail Blazers: Lillard's homecoming and a 21-0 start fuel Portland's 124-83 rout

Damian Lillard’s first regular-season game back in a Portland uniform could hardly have gone better. Lillard scored 25 points with six 3-pointers, new arrival Ja Morant had 14 points and eight assists, and the Trail Blazers opened with a 21-0 run on their way to a 124-83 rout of the Phoenix Suns at the Moda Center on Wednesday, Oct. 21. “Suns vs trail blazers” drew more than 100,000 US searches, according to Google Trends.

Suns vs. Trail Blazers: final score

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Suns	12	27	27	17	83
Trail Blazers	43	29	35	17	124

Portland led by as many as 52 points and never trailed: NBA.com’s game summary lists zero lead changes and zero ties. Attendance was 19,367.

A historic 21-0 start

The Blazers scored the game’s first 21 points behind 3-pointers from Lillard, Morant, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan, the Associated Press reported. Phoenix didn’t score until free throws with 5:54 left in the first quarter.

Yahoo Sports, citing OptaStats, said it was the largest run to open a game anywhere in the NBA over the past 25 seasons. Portland led 43-12 after one quarter, holding the Suns to 4-of-20 shooting in the period, and 72-39 at halftime. Yahoo reported that the 33-point cushion was the largest halftime lead in a season opener in franchise history.

Tempers flared briefly early on. Devin Booker and Morant exchanged words and were quickly separated, and each received a technical foul, per Yahoo.

Damian Lillard’s return to Portland

Lillard spent his first 11 NBA seasons with the Blazers before two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. He rejoined Portland in the summer of 2025 on a three-year deal but missed all of last season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, according to the AP and Yahoo.

He had 12 points in the first quarter, including a 3-pointer from the Moda Center logo, and 17 by halftime. A step-back 3 late in the third quarter was his sixth of the night; he finished 6-of-10 from deep.

Key player stats

Trail Blazers - Damian Lillard: 25 points, 6-of-10 3PT - Deni Avdija: 18 points, 10 rebounds (a game-time decision with a right ankle injury who started anyway) - Toumani Camara: 18 points - Ja Morant: 14 points, 8 assists in his Blazers debut

Suns - Devin Booker: 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting - Dillon Brooks: 10 points - Jalen Green: 10 points

Phoenix shot 36% from the field and made just 6 of 31 3-point attempts, per the AP. New Blazers coach Micah Nori pulled his starters early in the fourth quarter.

A new-look Blazers team

Portland snapped a five-year playoff drought last season but changed a lot since. Tiago Splitter, who took over as coach after Chauncey Billups’ arrest in an alleged gambling scheme, left for the Chicago Bulls, and the Blazers hired Nori, a Timberwolves assistant, the AP reported. They also traded Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Memphis Grizzlies for Morant.

According to Yahoo, the win was Portland’s first on opening night since 2022 and the third-largest season-opening win in team history.

What’s next

The Blazers visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday. The Suns host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

FAQ

Who won Suns vs. Trail Blazers? Portland won 124-83 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.

How many points did Damian Lillard score? 25, with six 3-pointers, in his first regular-season game back with Portland.

How did Ja Morant play in his Blazers debut? He had 14 points and eight assists.

Who led the Suns? Devin Booker, with 23 points.