Trail Blazers Honor Late Owner Paul Allen With Tributes Throughout Arena on Opening Night

Paul Allen died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma on Monday at 65 years old.

The Portland Trail Blazers opened up their season Thursday with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, and throughout the Moda Center in Portland, the team set up various tributes for late owner Paul Allen.

Allen died Monday at 65 due to complications with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He had owned the Trail Blazers since 1988 and they are the sports franchise he owned for the longest during his life. Allen, who was a co-founder of Microsoft, also owned the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and MLS's Seattle Sounders.

At Thursday's game, Portland left a "rip city" hat and a rose at Allen's baseline seat. There were also flowers and signs left by the "rip city" sculpture outside the stadium, and All-Star point guard Damian Lillard had an airbrushed guitar on his sneakers along with "1988-2018" to recognize the years Allen owned the team.

Additionally, the players wore decals on their jerseys with Allen's initials and a rose.

Tributes to Blazers owner Paul Allen inside & outside the Moda Center, including a red rose on his baseline seat & a guitar airbrushed onto Damian Lillard’s adidas sneakers pic.twitter.com/N46v63cvlA

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) October 19, 2018

Here with us tonight. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/ZQBpQVwTw0

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 19, 2018

Close to our heart. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ATbZ8Pb75R

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 18, 2018

Dame going with a pair of @adidasHoops Dame 4 @Kickstradomis customs to honor @PaulGAllen pic.twitter.com/uWnDe4hEU5

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) October 19, 2018

And with heavy hearts, we play the game Paul loved so dearly. pic.twitter.com/BtsdvVtmOW

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 19, 2018

The Sounders' next home game is their regular-season finale on Oct. 28 against the San Jose Earthquakes and the Seahawks host the Chargers on Nov. 4.