Opening night, October 18, 2018. LeBron James was making his regular-season debut with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Blazers weren’t about to let him come into Portland and steal the show. Watch the original full-game highlights below, and then revisit what made this night so memorable.
Historical update: Portland spoils LeBron’s Lakers debut
Updated November 2026: The Blazers beat the Lakers 128–119 at the Moda Center to open the 2018–19 season. LeBron made quite an entrance, scoring 26 points with 12 rebounds and six assists in his first regular-season game as a Laker. But this was Portland’s night.
Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 28 points, and Nik Stauskas came off the bench to score 24 in his Portland regular-season debut, knocking down five three-pointers. Stauskas? Twenty-four points? Yes, really. We had wondered whether he could make a positive impact that season, but even our preseason Stauskas analysis probably didn’t prepare us for that opening-night explosion.
There were other contributions, too. Zach Collins blocked six shots, showing the defensive potential Blazers fans had been hoping to see. And after Los Angeles trimmed the lead to five points in the closing seconds, Stauskas and Lillard finished the job at the free-throw line.
The win kept two remarkable streaks alive: Portland’s 18th consecutive home-opening victory, an NBA record, and its 16th straight win over the Lakers. Not a bad night, especially considering all the attention surrounding LeBron’s arrival in Los Angeles.
An emotional night without Paul Allen
There was something much bigger than basketball hanging over the arena. Blazers owner Paul Allen had died on October 15, 2018, just three days before the opener. The team honored him before the game, and a Rip City cap and single rose were placed at his courtside seat. It was a poignant reminder of how much he meant to the organization. We also shared our own Paul Allen tribute video that week.
Looking back, this game was the beginning of a remarkable season. Portland went 53–29 and reached the 2019 Western Conference Finals, beating Oklahoma City and Denver along the way. The Lakers, despite all the excitement around LeBron, missed the playoffs. October basketball rarely tells you everything about the season ahead—but this was a pretty satisfying place to start.
For the original reporting and complete statistics, see the NBA box score and the Blazers’ official opening-night recap. You can also revisit our 2018 opening-night preview.