Suns 104, Trail Blazers 91: Goran Dragic had 26 points and nine assists and Eric Bledsoe added 22 points and six assists in his team debut as Phoenix wore down visiting Portland in the season opener for both teams.

Miles Plumlee contributed 18 points and 15 rebounds for Phoenix. P.J. Tucker also scored 18 points as the Suns carved out a 52-24 edge in points in the paint.

Damian Lillard scored 32 points and made six 3-pointers for the Trail Blazers. LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 28 points but the other seven Portland players who saw action were a combined 11-for-39 from the field.

The Trail Blazers trailed by 14 points early in the fourth quarter and rallied within 96-91 on a free throw by Robin Lopez with 3:15 remaining before failing to score again. Dragic scored back-to-back baskets and Tucker added a fast-break hoop to push the Suns’ lead to 11 with 1:19 remaining, and Dragic added another basket to end the game-ending 8-0 surge.

Phoenix led by as many as 16 in the first half before settling for a 50-46 lead at the break. The Suns made 13-of-23 from the field in the third quarter to take an 81-69 edge into the final stanza.

GAME NOTEBOOK: This was the first time Phoenix has defeated Portland in the six times the teams have squared off in a season opener. … Plumlee is the first Phoenix player to record a double-double in his first start with the team since Shawn Marion (14 points, 14 rebounds) did so in the 1999-2000 opener against the Denver Nuggets. … Suns F Markieff Morris sat out the contest due to a one-game suspension for elbowing Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka in a recent preseason game.