Lillard scores 25 in his Portland return as the Blazers rout the Suns 124-83

Damian Lillard scored 25 points in his first regular-season game since rejoining the Portland Trail Blazers, and Portland beat the Phoenix Suns 124-83 on Wednesday night at Moda Center. Ja Morant added 14 points and eight assists in his Blazers debut, and Micah Nori won his first game as Portland's coach.

Lillard shot 7 of 12, went 6 of 10 from 3 and made all five of his free throws in 24 minutes. The NBA counted 542 days since his last NBA game and 1,309 since his last game as a Blazer. He spent his first 11 seasons in Portland, played two with Milwaukee, rejoined the Blazers in the summer of 2025 and missed last season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

The game was decided almost immediately. Portland scored the first 21 points behind 3-pointers from Lillard, Morant, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan, and Phoenix did not score until two free throws with 5:54 left in the first quarter, according to the Associated Press. The Blazers led 43-12 after one quarter and 72-39 at halftime, with Lillard hitting back-to-back 3s to push the lead to 38-8 along the way.

Morant shot 6 of 8 with five rebounds and three steals. Portland acquired him from Memphis in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.

Toumani Camara scored 18 with four 3-pointers. Avdija, a game-time decision with a right ankle injury, started and had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Scoot Henderson scored 15 off the bench and Clingan added 11. Portland went 19 of 47 from deep, outrebounded Phoenix 56-39 and had 32 assists. Nori pulled his starters early in the fourth quarter with the lead past 40.

Devin Booker scored 23 for Phoenix on 7-of-13 shooting and 9 of 9 at the line to open his 12th season. Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green scored 10 each. The Suns shot 30 of 84 and made 6 of 31 3-point attempts, and they never led.

Nori took over after Tiago Splitter, who coached Portland last season, left for the Chicago Bulls. The Blazers snapped a five-year playoff drought last spring.

Up next: Portland visits Sacramento on Friday, and Phoenix hosts Golden State on Saturday.