Trail Blazers Rout Suns 124-83 in Season Opener
Portland dominated Phoenix on both ends of the floor behind strong performances from Damian Lillard and Toumani Camara.
The Phoenix Suns suffered a heavy 124-83 defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers in their season opener on Wednesday night. Playing on the road, the Suns struggled from the opening tip and fell into a massive hole early in the game, ultimately trailing by as many as 52 points before the blowout concluded.
Portland wasted no time asserting control, jumping out to an 11-0 run and later extending their lead to 21-0 within the first six minutes of the contest. The Suns started the game missing their first 10 shots from the field and did not score their first field goal until late in the opening period. By the end of the first quarter, Phoenix faced a steep 43-12 deficit.
The Trail Blazers controlled nearly every statistical category throughout the night. Portland dominated the boards, outrebounding Phoenix 56 to 39, which included 16 offensive rebounds that led to 26 second-chance points. The victors also shot efficiently from beyond the arc, converting 19 of their 47 three-point attempts.
In contrast, the Suns had a disastrous shooting night. Phoenix shot just 35.7% overall from the field, hitting 30 of 84 shots, and managed only 19.4% from three-point range by making 6 of 31 long-range attempts. Devin Booker led the Suns with 23 points, but the team failed to find any consistent offensive rhythm alongside him.
Portland's offense was propelled by the return of Damian Lillard, who scored 25 points—including six three-pointers—in his first game back after missing the entirety of the previous season with an Achilles tear. Toumani Camara also delivered a strong performance for the Trail Blazers, contributing 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the first half alone.
Compounding the struggles for Phoenix, center Oso Ighodaro exited the game during the first half due to an apparent right hip injury and did not return, further thinning the team's interior rotation. Ighodaro had earned the start at center with the expectation of holding the position for the foreseeable future.
With the opening-night loss behind them, the Suns will look to regroup during a two-day break before hosting the Golden State Warriors for their home opener on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Portland looks to carry the immense momentum from their dominant victory into the rest of the campaign.