Damian Lillard Scores 25 in Portland Return as Trail Blazers Crush Suns

Damian Lillard’s regular-season return to Portland could not have gone much better. Lillard scored a game-high 25 points Wednesday night as the Trail Blazers demolished the Phoenix Suns 124-83 at Moda Center, giving the franchise icon a dominant victory in his first regular-season game back in a Portland uniform. The Blazers opened the game with a 21-0 run and eventually led by as many as 52 points.

Lillard shot 7-of-12 from the field while helping Portland establish control almost immediately. Deni Avdija added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Trail Blazers turned their season opener into a celebration rather than a close contest. The 41-point final margin reinforced how complete the performance was: Portland dictated the game from the opening tip and never allowed Phoenix to seriously threaten.

For Lillard, the significance went beyond the box score. After spending the first 11 seasons of his career in Portland before leaving in 2023, his return has carried emotional weight for both the player and the fan base. He had already appeared for the Blazers during the preseason, but Wednesday was the first regular-season test of the reunion. A 25-point performance and one of the night’s most lopsided NBA victories gave Portland an ideal opening chapter. The question now is whether the reunion can become more than a feel-good story and push the Trail Blazers back into the Western Conference playoff picture.