Blazers overwhelm Suns 124–83 behind historic opening surge

Portland’s opening burst decides the game

The Portland Trail Blazers opened the 2026–27 NBA season with a 124–83 home win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Portland’s 41-point margin followed an overwhelming start: the Blazers scored the first 21 points and held Phoenix scoreless for more than six minutes. Sports Illustrated’s postgame report and Bleacher Report’s final scoreboard both recorded the 124–83 result; the NBA’s official game page identifies the matchup and provides the league box score. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

The early run became a 43–12 first-quarter lead, a 31-point margin that Sports Illustrated said tied Portland’s largest positive differential after any first quarter in franchise history. The Blazers went into halftime ahead 72–39, their largest halftime lead in a season opener, according to the report. The NBA box score records Portland’s quarter totals as 43, 29, 35 and 17, against Phoenix’s 12, 27, 27 and 17. ^{[2] [3] [5]}

Lillard, Avdija and Morant lead the opener

Damian Lillard led all scorers with 25 points in his first regular-season game for Portland in three years. The nine-time All-Star missed the 2025–26 season while recovering from an Achilles injury before returning to the team where he spent the first 11 seasons of his career. His scoring helped headline a new-look backcourt with Ja Morant, who had 14 points, five rebounds and eight assists in his Portland debut, Sports Illustrated reported. ^{[3] [4]}

Deni Avdija supplied 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Toumani Camara also scored 18. Scoot Henderson added 15 points. Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams combined for 17 rebounds as Portland controlled the opening night on both ends. The official NBA box-score page lists the full individual totals, and the independent postgame report provides those leading lines. ^{[2] [3]}

Phoenix finished with 83 points after scoring only 12 in the first quarter. The Suns rallied to 27 points in each of the next two periods, but the deficit remained 41 entering the fourth; both teams scored 17 in the final quarter. The quarter-by-quarter totals show that Portland’s first-half burst created the gap, and the Suns never made it a close finish. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

A lopsided start to the season

The quarter-by-quarter line shows how the first burst shaped the rest of the opener. Portland built its 33-point halftime cushion with a 43–12 first quarter and a 29–27 second; Phoenix matched Portland with 17 points apiece in the fourth, but by then the margin stood at 41. The win sent Portland to 1–0 and left Phoenix 0–1 to begin the regular season. The NBA lists the matchup as the season opener at Portland’s Moda Center. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}