Oct. 30,2013 NBA Game: Portland Trail Blazers @ Phoenix Suns

THE FACT: The Phoenix Suns kicked off their 46th season with a new coach, Jeff Hornacek, who was taken No. 46 in the 1986 draft by the Suns.

THE LEAD: The Suns are widely perceived as being bad enough to be in the running for landing a top draft pick in June, but they still had too much firepower for the sluggish Portland Trail Blazers. They led nearly wire-to-wire in a 104-91 win that opened the season for both teams.

The Suns played their old run-and-gun style to roll up a 30-16 lead after one quarter and withstood a couple of mild Trail Blazer rallies.

The Suns' talent base took a hit when starting center Marcin Gortat was traded to Washington just last week. But second-year big man Miles Plumlee, the surprise of the preseason, took his place and dominated the paint. He had 18 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Trail Blazers were hoping to put to rest their 13-game losing streak that ended last season. But outside of Damian Lillard (32 points but only two assists) and LaMarcus Aldridge (28 points but only four boards), they didn't have much to offer.

Also, the Suns' experiment with starting the smallish point guard duo of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe together was a smash hit.

Dragic had 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Bledsoe added 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

QUOTABLE: "We always thought it was an advantage having [Bledsoe and Dragic]," Hornacek said. "That puts pressure [on other teams] to double [team] or lay off. We want to get back to where the Phoenix Suns belong: at the top of the NBA. It's a good start."

-- Jeff Hornacek

QUOTABLE II: "They kind of shocked us; they played at a fast pace. They got us out of position with the pace. It was tough to guard what they were doing."

--Trail Blazer Damian Lillard

THE STAT: The Suns had 31 fast-break points to 19 for the Blazers.

TURNING POINT: With the Suns leading, 52-51, early in the third quarter, Channing Frye nailed a 3-pointer. That propelled a 12-0 Suns' run that made it 64-51. The Blazers never got closer than five points, 96-91, with 3:15 left.

Dragic then hit two jumpers and -- while the Blazers misfired -- fed P.J. Tucker for a fast-break layup. That gave the Suns a 102-91 lead and the win.

QUOTABLE III: "Not once has anyone said to lose games....[But] does it benefit teams to get high draft picks? Yes"

-- Jeff Hornacek on talk that Suns' management is tanking the season after the Gortat trade.

HOT: Plumlee shot 8-for-14. Last season, Plumlee had all of 13 points and 22 rebounds in 14 games for the Indiana Pacers. He was acquired in the deal in which the Pacers acquired Luis Scola. He also played well defensively. "He's athletic...I don't think guys think he can block shots, but he does," Hornacek said. "Then they start altering shots."

NOT: Robin Lopez, praised by coach Terry Stotts pregame as the leader of the Blazers' defense, not only was lit up by Plumlee, but -- at the other end -- contributed only three points and two rebounds.

ROOKIE WATCH: The Suns' first-round picks didn't have much of an impact. Alex Len had two points two boards and three fouls in eight minutes, while Archie Goodwin shot 0-for-3 and failed to score, also in eight minutes.

NOTABLE: Frye, who missed last season because of an enlarged heart, played in his first regular-season game in 557 days. He started at the "four" spot, played 22 minutes and had seven points and three rebounds. "It felt good...man, I'm here." Frye said. "I felt like I belonged."