Damian Lillard gets hero's welcome in Blazers return
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Before Wednesday night, it had been 1,309 days since Damian Lillard suited up in the Blazers red and black for a regular season game.
Why it matters: The wait is over.
The latest: Lillard dazzled in his first outing since re-signing with the team, sinking six three-pointers on his way to 25 points as the Blazers blotted out the Phoenix Suns in a massive blowout win.
Catch up quick: Rip City's all-time leading scorer was traded to Milwaukee in 2023 after his relationship with the team soured.
- Lillard averaged nearly 25 points per game with the Bucks, but never really gelled with the team and tore his Achilles during the 2025 playoffs.
- The team waived him, freeing up the Portland hero to re-sign with the only other team he ever played for.
- Lillard spent all of last season rehabbing as excitement built around his return.
"I should have never left," he told The Athletic recently.
The vibe: The Moda Center was electric well before tip off, with loud cheers as Lillard thanked the sellout crowd of 19,367 before the game.
- Those cheers swelled to roars when he was announced in the opening lineup and peaked into a deafening eruption when he sank his first three-pointer.
- It didn't hurt that the Blazers demolished the Suns out of the gate, holding Phoenix scoreless for the first nearly seven minutes.
- The Blazers were ahead by 31 after the first quarter, the biggest lead in a first quarter of a season opener in NBA history, on their way to a 124-83 victory.
What they're saying: Trevor Steinberg, a Blazers fan for all of his 35 years in Portland, said he was sad when Lillard was traded, but understood the superstar's frustrations with the team's performance.
- Now that he's back? "I'm ecstatic. I'm elated. I'm beyond thrilled," Steinberg told Axios as he rushed to get into the arena to hear the lineups announced.
Zoom out: Lillard led the Blazers, but Ja Morant — the team's biggest offseason acquisition — looked right at home chipping in 14 points. Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara each added another 18.
State of play: Most of the Blazers' offseason was consumed by drama unrelated to basketball.
- The team's new owners, led by Tom Dundon, continue to clash with the city over a nearly $600 million Moda Center renovation package, amid concerns the team could relocate.
What's next: The Blazers will look to get their second win against the Sacramento Kings on Friday at 7pm.