Portland head coach Micah Nori confirmed Ja Morant will be in the starting lineup against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
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Portland head coach Micah Nori said at his pregame press conference that Ja Morant will get the start for the Portland Trail Blazers in Wednesday’s season opener against the Phoenix Suns.
Nori’s comment came as questions circulated about whether the two-time NBA All-Star might begin the year coming off the bench, but he put that speculation to rest shortly after 8:22 p.m. EST on Oct. 21.
The Trail Blazers host the Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 10 p.m. ET, and the team’s official starting five is expected to confirm the lineup at tipoff.
Before the opener, Morant had started Portland’s first preseason game, scoring eight points in 19 minutes against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 16 at Chase Center.
Damian Lillard, who is back with Portland after missing the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles, has publicly backed Morant’s impact, saying, “A lot of people have him wrong,” and describing him as “a selfless teammate” who takes an approach that can help the team.
Lillard’s return also leaves Portland managing a backcourt rotation that includes Morant, Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson, while Nori has indicated Lillard will spend more time playing off the ball this season, which could shape how often Morant is used to direct the offence on the floor.
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