Golden State gave Don Nelson’s memory the kind of night he would have appreciated: pace, shot-making and a lopsided score. Stephen Curry needed only 14 minutes to post 16 points and five assists as the Warriors handled the Lakers 124-98 on Tuesday, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg supplied 17 points and nine rebounds on “Nellie Night” in the Bay.
| Game | Key numbers | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Lakers at Warriors | Yaxel Lendeborg: 17 pts, 9 reb, 7-11 FG; Stephen Curry: 16 pts, 5 ast, 14 min | Warriors 124, Lakers 98 |
| Nuggets at Jazz | Darryn Peterson: 23 pts, 3 ast; Aaron Gordon: 18 pts, 5 reb | Nuggets 117, Jazz 106 |
| Nets at Hornets | Michael Porter Jr.: 16 pts, 4-6 3PT; Julius Randle: 13 pts, 3 ast | Nets 124, Hornets 90 |
| Pelicans at Thunder | Bennedict Mathurin: 13 pts, 5 ast; Derik Queen: 10 pts, 9 reb | Pelicans 116, Thunder 110 |
The evening carried extra weight for the Warriors. Nelson died in August at age 86, and the club unveiled a yellow “Nellie” jersey patch that it will wear through the season. He coached Golden State for 11 seasons over two runs, overseeing both the Run TMC era and the 2006-07 “We Believe” group. His 1,335 coaching victories remain second in NBA history.
Curry played his rookie season for Nelson in 2009-10. Before tipoff, he called the coach “an icon in the NBA family” and said Nelson’s impact on the Bay Area made the season-long tribute fitting.
Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft, gave the Warriors a lively second scorer against Los Angeles. Sandro Mamukelashvili led the Lakers with 15 points.
Denver withstands Peterson’s Utah showing
Utah rookie Darryn Peterson was the top scorer in Salt Lake City, mixing finishes above the rim, passing reads and difficult jumpers in a 23-point night. Denver still found enough separation behind Aaron Gordon, Julian Strawther and Cam Whitmore.
Gordon finished with 18 points and five boards. Strawther added 15 points and hit three 3-pointers, while Whitmore scored 14 and delivered a highlight dunk. Nikola Jokić worked 16 minutes, recording six points, five assists and four rebounds.
Before the game, the Jazz gave a young fan named Hudson a moment on the practice court after his enthusiastic support of the team from home gained attention online.
Brooklyn’s new pairing opens with a clean first look
Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. wasted little time showing how Brooklyn’s offense may look. Porter knocked down four of his six attempts from 3-point range for 16 points, and Randle put up 13 points with three assists in his Nets debut.
Randle sparked a personal 7-0 stretch with a transition dunk, then found Porter with a behind-the-back pass for a 3. Brooklyn rolled past Charlotte by 34 points.
Liam McNeeley scored 14 for the Hornets. Charlotte newcomers Naz Reid and Grayson Allen each had 13 points; Allen made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, and Reid collected four rebounds.
Pelicans erase 24-point Oklahoma City hole
New Orleans opened its preseason with a 116-110 comeback win over Oklahoma City after falling behind by 24. Zion Williamson began his night with a left-handed dunk, while offseason addition Bennedict Mathurin led the Pelicans with 13 points and five assists.
Second-year players Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen combined for 22 points. Fears scored 12, while Queen posted 10 points and nine rebounds.
Oklahoma City got promising preseason debuts from first-round picks Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz. Mara had 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting, nine rebounds and three blocks. Stirtz scored 15 points and handed out six assists.
Macao stage set for Houston and Dallas
The Rockets and Mavericks are in Macao ahead of the NBA China Games at The Venetian. The teams meet Friday at 8 a.m. ET and again Sunday at 6 a.m. ET, with NBA TV carrying both preseason games.
Houston arrived to fans chanting for Kevin Durant outside the team hotel. Steven Adams offered a look inside his hotel accommodations, and the Rockets later practiced on the specially designed China Games floor. Alperen Sengun spent time signing for fans after the workout.
Dallas drew a large crowd during a team photo session outside The Venetian. For Cooper Flagg, 19, the trip is his first visit to Asia. He said he was eager to get outside after the long flight and experience a new culture.
Kyrie Irving, 34, described the region as close to a second home, noting the support he has received there since he was 19. Flagg joined Irving in signing autographs before Dallas returned to the floor for its final preparation.
Haliburton and Lillard could share a comeback night
Wednesday’s NBA TV doubleheader could bring two major injury recoveries into view. Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers host the Timberwolves at 7 p.m. ET, followed by Damian Lillard and Portland visiting Curry’s Warriors at 10 p.m. ET.
Haliburton and Lillard suffered Achilles tears 56 days apart in 2025. Lillard went down in Game 4 of Milwaukee’s first-round series against Indiana, with Haliburton on the court. Haliburton then suffered the same injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, where Indiana finished one win short of the franchise’s first championship.
Haliburton missed all of the 2025-26 season during rehabilitation. The No. 12 selection in the 2020 draft said the work has put him back in the mindset of an overlooked prospect, recalling his route from Iowa State to Sacramento and then to Indiana, where he became an All-Star.
“I’m not the typical NBA story,” Haliburton said at Media Day. “I was very under-recruited. I never thought the NBA was a possibility.” He said rebuilding himself after the injury has brought back an underdog mentality.
Indiana is coming off a 19-win season without its lead guard. Haliburton said he and his teammates remain resilient and will carry a chip on their shoulders into the new campaign.
Lillard, now 34 and entering his 13th NBA season, returned to Portland last summer after two years in Milwaukee. He spent his first season back with the Blazers rehabbing and offering guidance from the sideline. Before becoming Portland’s all-time scoring leader and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, Lillard rose from Weber State to the No. 6 pick in the 2012 draft.
Lillard said seeing television commentary suggest his Achilles injury was “the last of Dame Lillard as we know it” fueled him. He called the recovery long but said he embraced its demands, adding that fighting through doubt has been part of his life.
Ja Morant could also make his Portland preseason debut against Golden State after arriving from Memphis in a summer trade.
Wednesday preseason slate
- Timberwolves at Pacers, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV
- Warriors at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET, NBA TV
- Suns at Bulls, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass — Chicago could unveil No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson
- Bucks at Thunder, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass
- Magic at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass
Central Division storylines
The Central enters 2026-27 with a mix of resets and teams trying to finish unfinished work. Milwaukee begins a rebuilding phase under new coach Taylor Jenkins in the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era. Chicago has front-office leadership in Bryson Graham, Tiago Splitter as its new head coach and Wilson as a possible cornerstone.
Cleveland will have a full training camp and regular season with its current core as it looks for another step forward. Indiana’s Finals run remains a reminder not to dismiss a Haliburton-led group. Detroit, meanwhile, will ask Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren to reproduce their All-NBA-level partnership if the Pistons are to stay near the top of a crowded Eastern Conference.
