Kyrie Irving’s first game since March 2025 gave Dallas a jolt in Macao, where the Mavericks handled Houston 132-115 to close the 16th NBA China Games. Irving scored 17 points in 22 minutes, looking healthy and sharp as Dallas pulled away in front of the China crowd.
Quick facts
- Dallas beat Houston 132-115 in Macao behind Kyrie Irving’s 17-point return.
- Sunday’s ESPN preseason doubleheader opens with Magic-Cavaliers at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by Bulls-Nuggets at 9 p.m. ET.
- The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts Oct. 20 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader, nine days away.
- Golden State and Atlanta will meet in the WNBA Finals beginning Oct. 17; each club is chasing its first title.
Marcus Smart scored 20 points in his Houston debut. Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg supplied 14 points and seven assists, while No. 25 pick Sergio de Larrea posted nine points, seven rebounds and four assists and finished at a game-best plus-34.
Dwight Powell had three points and five boards for the Mavericks, connecting this trip to Dallas’ previous China victory over Philadelphia in 2018. Powell also played in that game.
Boston’s established backcourt-heavy core carried its preseason win over Philadelphia in Paul George’s Celtics debut. Jayson Tatum scored 23 points and hit four 3-pointers, while Payton Pritchard had 25 points, seven assists and five triples.
Jaylen Brown returned to Boston as a visiting player but did not play for Philadelphia. VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined for 27 points for the 76ers, who were also without LeBron James and Joel Embiid.
Golden State took a 111-106 win over Sacramento in the first meeting between lottery rookies Darius Acuff Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg. Lendeborg, the No. 11 selection, filled the sheet with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals.
Brandon Williams added 19 for the Warriors, and Brandin Podziemski scored 14 on the day Golden State announced his five-year extension. Acuff, the No. 7 pick, produced 25 points and eight assists in 27 minutes for Sacramento, his strongest showing of the preseason.
Ben Simmons made his first NBA appearance in 529 days and scored seven points in nine minutes for the Kings. Sacramento center Maxime Raynaud left late in the first half with a right knee injury.
Washington outlasted Detroit 114-108 in overtime after a game that swung from a 20-point Wizards lead in the opening quarter to a seven-point Pistons edge with four minutes left. Washington closed regulation on an 11-4 push to force overtime.
Will Riley scored 13 of his 15 points after halftime and in overtime. Felix Okpara scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter and extra session, while Justin Champagnie did the same with all 12 of his points.
The Wizards have three former No. 1 overall picks, including 2026 top selection AJ Dybantsa and Anthony Davis, the 2012 top choice. Dybantsa finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes; Detroit’s No. 17 pick, Ebuka Okorie, led the Pistons with 14 points and six assists.
Minnesota edged Miami 125-124 when Antonio Reeves knocked down a floater with 2.3 seconds remaining. The finish was the 16th lead change in a game played without Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Bones Hyland took advantage of Minnesota’s missing stars, leading all scorers with 23 points and five 3-pointers. Zyon Pullin provided 22 points off the Wolves bench.
Toronto finished the NBA Canada Games with a 114-106 victory over the Clippers in Vancouver. Toronto native RJ Barrett led six Raptors in double figures with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in 23 minutes.
Immanuel Quickley had 18 points, four rebounds, four assists and five 3-pointers in only 19 minutes. Scottie Barnes recorded 12 points and 10 boards, while Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles scored 13 apiece.
Atlanta held off Indiana 119-117 after jumping ahead with an 8-0 burst and never surrendering the lead again. Jalen Johnson had 20 points and seven rebounds, and Onyeka Okongwu combined with him for 38 points.
Pascal Siakam and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 13 each for Indiana, which was without Tyrese Haliburton. The teams traded the lead 13 times in the first 18 minutes.
Phoenix earned its first preseason win, 102-98 over San Antonio, despite Devin Booker sitting out. Luke Kennard posted 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and four 3-pointers, while Jalen Green added 18 points, five assists and three triples.
San Antonio rested its main group for the fourth quarter. Dylan Harper finished with 15 points and four assists; Victor Wembanyama had 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks; Stephon Castle added 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Sunday’s ESPN floor
Cleveland hosts Orlando at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the Cavaliers possibly giving their reshaped starting group its first look together. James Harden missed Thursday’s preseason opener because of ankle soreness after Cleveland added him at the February deadline.
Harden joined Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen on a Cavaliers team that finished fourth in the East, reached the conference finals and was swept by New York. Cleveland later acquired Peyton Watson from Denver in a five-team summer trade to complete its projected first five.
“It was a no-brainer,” Harden said of Watson. “He’s young, athletic, has improved a lot, and he fits what we’re trying to do.” Harden also pointed to Watson’s playoff experience with Denver.
Mitchell said the group has spent unusual amounts of time together away from the season, including workouts in New York around the U.S. Open and more work around Harden’s birthday.
Orlando arrives after winning the preseason debut of coach Sean Sweeney, who previously reached the 2024 Finals as a Dallas assistant and the 2026 Finals as San Antonio’s associate head coach. It is his first NBA head-coaching job after two decades on the climb.
The Magic are coming off a third consecutive first-round exit and are looking to get more from a healthy Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane core. Wagner said the club still has “so much untapped potential,” while Banchero said Sweeney has been clear in discussing expectations and listening to what his young star wants.
Denver then hosts Chicago at 9 p.m. ET. Nikola Jokić’s behind-the-back crosscourt pass from the Nuggets’ preseason opener has become a copycat move around the league, and the Bulls bring in No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson after a productive start.
Wilson is averaging 18 points in 30.4 minutes across his first two preseason games. He also made five 3-pointers in his most recent outing.
The Southwest Division enters the new season with Dallas building around Flagg after his strong rookie year, Houston trying to turn a potential 50-win profile into a playoff breakthrough, and Memphis beginning a new chapter centered on prized top-three pick Cameron Boozer.
New Orleans is largely returning the group that won 26 games last season, placing added pressure on internal development. San Antonio, meanwhile, returns after its painful 2026 Finals loss with the expectation that its June experience can serve as a foundation for another deep run.
