Rockets, Mavericks Bring Star Power to 2026 NBA China Games in Macao

Macao gets its second straight preseason stop this week, with the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks scheduled to play twice at The Venetian Arena in the 2026 NBA China Games. The backcourt injury returns of Kyrie Irving and Fred VanVleet, Cooper Flagg’s first preseason under new Dallas coach Dusty May, and Kevin Durant opening his 19th NBA season give the trip more than the usual October exhibition texture.

The two games make up the 16th edition of the NBA China Games, an international preseason series that began in 2004 and has staged 30 previous exhibitions. Macao hosted the event for the first time in 2025, when the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets split two games, and remains the site for both 2026 matchups.

Irving and VanVleet are expected to get a preseason run

Dallas coach Dusty May and Houston coach Ime Udoka expect their veteran point guards to appear in one of the two games. For Irving, it would be his first game action in 19 months after he tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025. VanVleet has been out just over a year after a right ACL tear on Sept. 22, 2025 wiped out his entire previous season.

Both teams will be watching those minutes carefully. Irving brings a 2016 championship ring from Cleveland; VanVleet was part of Toronto’s 2019 title group. Their return matters beyond preseason reps, putting primary ballhandling, late-clock shot creation and veteran direction back on the floor for two clubs with significant ambitions.

Dallas begins May-Flagg partnership

May arrives in Dallas after leading Michigan to the NCAA championship, taking on his first NBA head-coaching post. His early work comes alongside Flagg, last season’s Kia Rookie of the Year, who entered the league out of Duke at 19 and immediately became a central piece of the Mavericks’ plans.

Macao offers the first public look at that second-year Flagg, first-year May pairing. Dallas sees the young forward and its new coach as long-term franchise pillars, even if the October rotation will be shaped by Irving’s recovery and the usual preseason workload limits.

Houston’s blend of old hands and young core

Durant starts his second Rockets season and his 19th in the league. He remained above 25 points per game in 2025-26, his 17th season reaching that scoring mark, and enters the year as the NBA’s fifth-leading scorer all time.

Houston’s question is how quickly that mix can turn promise into immediate results. Sengun, Thompson, Smith and Sheppard are all still under 25, while Durant, VanVleet, Adams, Capela and Smart supply a hardened veteran layer. The Macao games will provide an early look at how Udoka divides preseason minutes among those groups, particularly if VanVleet is cleared for his expected appearance.

Five-day Macao program surrounds the games

The on-court schedule is part of a wider week of league programming. NBA House runs from Oct. 7 through Oct. 11 at Halls A and B of Cotai Expo at The Venetian Macao. The free public event will combine basketball activities with music, entertainment, fashion, retail, interactive technology and dining.

NBA Fan Day follows on Saturday, Oct. 10 at The Venetian Arena, featuring player appearances, fan interactions and performances from Asian artists. Youth clinics and Community Impact Week programming are also planned from Oct. 7-11, with health, wellness and sustainability initiatives set for local schools and community organizations across Macao.

The China Games are one of five international showcases on the 2026-27 NBA calendar. The league also has NBA Canada Games on Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, a Mexico City game on Nov. 7, the Paris Game on Jan. 14 and the Manchester Game on Jan. 17.

NBA China Games results through the years