The first night of the 2026-27 season gave Blazers fans a pretty loud answer.
While Tiago Splitter’s Bulls were getting buried 135-92 by the Raptors, Portland was busy hammering the Suns 124-83. That kind of split-screen result makes the offseason coaching shakeup look a whole lot cleaner for the Trail Blazers, even if the way they got there was messy from the start.
Splitter had plenty going for him in Portland. He walked into chaos after just one game last season, when Chauncey Billups was placed on leave due to federal incidents, and still guided a young Blazers group to a 42-40 record and a seven seed.
That playoff run deserved real credit. But the organization was searching for his replacement while the team was still fighting in the postseason against the San Antonio Spurs, and that process always felt awkward.
Wednesday only sharpened the contrast.
Splitter’s Bulls were overwhelmed, and Josh Giddey quickly found out he wasn’t on the same level as Deni Avdija when it came to driving an effective offense. Across the court, Micah Nori looked like exactly what Portland needed: a coach with a creative touch who could make sense of a roster that is talented, but still a little weird around the edges.
Some around the game have even called Nori the Ted Lasso of the NBA, and on this night he looked like the right voice for the job. The Blazers weren’t just winning; they were carrying out a plan. Nori had already spent the offseason laying out where Portland needed to improve - shooting, turnovers, defensive rebounding, and more - and the opener looked like that blueprint in action.
That’s why the win felt bigger than the score. Splitter was a stabilizer, but Nori gives Portland the sense of a higher ceiling.
It’s only one game, and the sample size is tiny. Still, the early returns are hard to ignore.
The Blazers want 50-plus wins and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and after opening night, that goal looks less like a reach and more like something that might actually happen. Early on, that bet is paying off in a major way.
In Other News...
Ja Morants Blazers Debut Just Raised A Bigger Backcourt Question
Ja Morants first run in a Trail Blazers uniform offered an immediate glimpse of what Portland hoped to add when it pulled off the trade with Memphis for Kris Murray and Jerami Grant. Morant got to work right away, scoring six points in his first eight minutes and showing the kind of three-point touch that can change the look of an offense in a hurry. Damian Lillard was sharp too, finishing with 12 points in 12 minutes as Portland jumped out to an early lead.
The early return was encouraging, but it also underlined why the Blazers backcourt now comes with so much intrigue. Morant and Lillard each made a clear imprint in short bursts, and Portlands ability to keep both dynamic guards involved will be one of the more interesting things to watch as the season unfolds. The fit looks promising on paper, but the bigger question is how the Blazers balance two players who both want the ball and can tilt a game in an instant. [Read more 🡒]
Bookers Rough Suns Opener Already Has Fans Fired Up
The Portland Trail Blazers opened the 2026-27 season with a fast start against Phoenix, and the tone of the game turned chippy almost as quickly as the scoreboard did. Portland jumped out to a sizable first-quarter lead behind its new backcourt pairing of Ja Morant and Damian Lillard, giving fans an early look at the kind of pace and pressure this roster can bring when it is clicking.
Devin Booker spent much of the night trying to steady the Suns, but the opener also featured a series of heated exchanges with Morant that escalated into double technical fouls for both guards. For a Portland team trying to announce itself as a more serious force in the West, the bigger picture is whether this new group can turn that opening burst into something sustainable once the emotion of opening night fades. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Just Sent A Loud Opening Night Message To The NBA
The season opener in Phoenix quickly turned into a showcase for Portland, which ran out to a 21-0 burst and never let the Suns find their footing. The Blazers walked away with a 124-83 win, a lopsided result built on pace, physicality and a clear edge on the glass, where they outworked Phoenix 56-39.
Damian Lillard set the tone for Portland with 25 points, while Devin Booker finished with 23 in an evening where the Suns struggled to establish much rhythm on either end. For a team trying to set an early standard, it was about as strong a first impression as Portland could have made, and the bigger question now is whether this kind of start can carry over once the schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]