Damian Lillard Leads Trail Blazers to 124-83 Rout of Suns in Portland Return

Damian Lillard scored 25 points and made six 3-pointers during a 124-83 victory over the Phoenix Suns in his first game back with Portland.

Damian Lillard recorded 25 points and six 3-pointers to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 124-83 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. The nine-time All-Star, who signed a three-year, $42 million contract to rejoin Portland in July 2025, received a standing ovation at Moda Center during a pregame address. This matchup marked Lillard's first regular-season appearance since returning to the franchise where he spent the first 11 seasons of his career.

The performance followed a 16-month recovery period for a torn Achilles tendon suffered while Lillard was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. In addition to the injury, Lillard's final season in Milwaukee was limited to 58 games due to deep vein thrombosis, during which he averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists. New Portland addition Ja Morant contributed 14 points during his Trail Blazers debut in the 41-point win.

Lillard noted that while he had felt physically ready for months, the game served as his first opportunity to play in front of an audience since the Achilles injury. The veteran guard holds career averages of 25.1 points and 6.7 assists per game.