Damian Lillard and Portland were both ready for Wednesday night.
It was Dame’s return to the court for the Trail Blazers, the franchise that will always be associated with him, after a few years away with the Milwaukee Bucks.
It was also a return from a torn Achilles that kept Lillard from playing all of last season.
The house was full. Lillard’s former teammates Meyers Leonard and Evan Turner flew in from out of town to be there. Everyone wanted to see this.
But there was a question, to be sure — after the injury, at his age, could Lillard still be a transformative force for the Trail Blazers?
A 21-0 run answered that question.
21-0 Trail Blazers Run
The Trail Blazers were hosting the Phoenix Suns, and the Suns quickly got smushed like a bug on the windshield.
The first 21 points of the game were scored by Portland.
Yep, it was 21-0.
This wasn’t just some mid-game surge. It was to start the season. The Trail Blazers scored the first 21 points of their season. The Suns allowed the first 21 points of their season.
And yeah, Lillard was out there on the court doing his thing. His return was worth the wait for Portland.
“The Blazers’ icon spent Wednesday putting his career back on track after a forgettable two-year detour with the Bucks and an Achilles injury that sidelined him last season,” ESPN’s Ben Golliver wrote on Friday. “In his first game for Portland since 2023, the nine-time All-Star guard provided such an emotional jolt that the Blazers stormed out to a preposterous 21-0 lead and cruised to a 124-83 blowout of the Phoenix Suns.”
This is why Lillard wanted to return to Portland from Milwaukee, for nights like this.
He has never shied away from the fact that Portland holds his heart. He had become temporarily disenchanted when he asked out and headed to the Bucks. It seemed a tantalizing opportunity to chase a title with Giannis Antetokounmpo. It didn’t work.
Now, Lillard is back where he belongs.
Ja Morant Question
The one looming question is whether the Trail Blazers can make Lillard work in the backcourt with Ja Morant, who they acquired in a trade from the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason.
Morant is a tantalizing talent who has had a few bumpy seasons. He and Lillard aren’t regarded as big guards or great defenders.
“No one will argue with the results from the opener, but it remains an open question whether Lillard and Morant are the ideal starting backcourt for Portland,” Golliver writes. “Against Phoenix, Lillard scored 25 points and hit six 3-pointers, and Morant added 14 points and eight assists in only 23 minutes. Tougher tests await: The Suns lack big and physical perimeter playmakers capable of exploiting Portland’s undersized guards. But it’s nice to see Lillard back where he belongs in Rip City.”
It will likely be a case of mixing-and-matching lineups for a while.
But with Lillard back in town, Blazers fans will feel like anything is possible. If he can bring Morant into that picture, all the better.
21-0 Validates Damian Lillard’s Decision to Leave Bucks for Blazers