Alperen Sengun put the first China game of the preseason in his hands Friday, turning a 16-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double into a 135-117 Houston Rockets win over the Dallas Mavericks in Macao. Cooper Flagg scored 19 for Dallas, but Houston owned the night in front of a packed building that included Yao Ming, whose return home helped mark the NBA’s first China game back in 2004.
The rematch arrives Sunday at 6 a.m. ET on NBA TV, with Kyrie Irving expected to make his preseason debut after an injury layoff that has kept him out since March 2025. Kevin Durant is expected to sit for Houston. Saturday serves as Fan Day at Venetian Arena, with player appearances and music planned ahead of the second game.
Durant is looking forward to seeing Irving back on the floor, and Flagg said his time opposite Durant already offered a useful lesson. “With KD, I feel like I’ve learned a lot,” Flagg said. “Just getting to your spots.” Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Mitch Richmond and Yao were among the former NBA players in attendance Friday, while Jackie Chan and David Beckham watched from courtside.
Another pair of highly drafted rookies supplied a close finish in Memphis, where the Grizzlies held off the Bulls 104-100. Chicago’s Caleb Wilson scored 21 points and hit five 3-pointers, pouring in 20 after halftime and getting a final chance to win it in the closing seconds. Memphis rookie Cameron Boozer scored 10 points in 12 minutes, 22 seconds as the No. 3 selection came out ahead in the latest chapter of their matchup.
Saturday’s preseason board
Boston gets its first look at its reshaped rivalry with Philadelphia at 8 p.m. ET on NBA TV. Jaylen Brown now wears a 76ers uniform after the trade that sent Paul George to the Celtics, setting up an early meeting between two East teams with altered pecking orders.
Jayson Tatum has pointed to George’s size and two-way game as a useful reference point. “That kind of 6-foot-9 player who can score at all three levels — a lot of that translates for me,” Tatum said. He also sees leadership as the central assignment for Boston’s new group, calling awareness — of himself and of the roster around him — the key to making the collective work.
Philadelphia comes in after LeBron James posted 10 points, four rebounds and five assists against Brooklyn on Thursday. James, Brown and the reworked Sixers are still building their timing, but the visit to Boston gives them an immediate measuring stick.
The late national game sends San Antonio to Phoenix at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with both clubs chasing their first preseason win. Victor Wembanyama enters the season still carrying the memory of San Antonio’s loss to New York in the 2026 NBA Finals, but he said the Spurs are not trying to bury that disappointment.
“We don’t want to hide from anything,” Wembanyama said. “We’re going to deal with those emotions and face the fact that we have 100 games, maybe more with the postseason, ahead of us. We’re in a good place. There’s a lot of hope, a lot of ambition, and we’re ready.” San Antonio’s regular season begins Oct. 20. Phoenix, meanwhile, has leaned on Dillon Brooks, who is averaging 17.5 points through two exhibition games as the Suns try to push a veteran group back into the postseason.
Minnesota visits Miami at 8 p.m. ET on League Pass in another matchup built around major roster shifts. LaMelo Ball has given the Timberwolves a different organizing force at point guard, allowing Anthony Edwards to move back toward his natural shooting-guard role. Edwards has embraced the pace Ball brings, saying, “He plays like his hair is on fire. He gets everybody involved.”
Miami’s new centerpiece, Giannis Antetokounmpo, has quickly taken to the Heat’s demanding internal environment. He highlighted the group’s seriousness, communication and togetherness, recalling a team meeting that included two Navy SEALs telling their stories while players did push-ups. “It gives me goosebumps,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s almost like being alive again.”
League Pass also carries Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors against the LA Clippers at 6:30 p.m. ET in Vancouver, closing the NBA Canada Games. The remaining slate includes Detroit at Washington at 7 p.m. ET, Atlanta at Indiana at 7 p.m. ET and Sacramento at Golden State at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Teams trying to climb back into the bracket
Brooklyn’s path starts with its youth movement. After using five first-round picks in the 2025 draft, the Nets added No. 6 pick Mikel Brown Jr. this summer. The dynamic guard is expected to share backcourt duties with Egor Dëmin, while Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. provide the scoring base. If the young guards settle quickly, Brooklyn has a chance to take a real step forward.
Chicago has its own mix of lottery talent and veteran additions. Wilson, the No. 4 pick who stood out in Summer League, joins Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey in the club’s young core. The Bulls also brought in Norman Powell and Nic Claxton to add established production around that group.
Indiana expects a healthier Tyrese Haliburton to change its outlook. Haliburton has said he is fully healthy, and the Pacers still have Pascal Siakam alongside him while Ivica Zubac now anchors the middle. Utah, meanwhile, added No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson after finishing ninth in scoring last season at 117.6 points per game. The Jazz also expect Jaren Jackson Jr. to be healthy after he appeared in only three games following his midseason move from Memphis. Jackson teams with Lauri Markkanen in an All-Star frontcourt and gives Utah a former Defensive Player of the Year to address a defense that ranked 29th in rating.
The Southeast Division carries plenty of its own reset energy. Atlanta’s perimeter depth is built around defensive pressure from Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luguentz Dort. Charlotte continues to build around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, a young foundation that should make the Hornets an entertaining team with room to grow.
Miami’s ceiling has moved with Antetokounmpo’s arrival. The two-time MVP and Bam Adebayo form one of the league’s most imposing frontcourt pairings, and the Heat expect that combination to put them squarely in the contender tier. Orlando enters with a sharper mandate after three consecutive first-round exits.
Washington is banking on a significant improvement after adding a veteran group with deep playoff experience. Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton have all reached at least the conference finals, while Davis and Middleton have won championships. The expectation is that those additions will help lift the Wizards’ win total.
Elsewhere, the WNBA Finals are set. Atlanta reached the championship round for the first time since 2013 by eliminating the New York Liberty, while the Golden State Valkyries dispatched the Las Vegas Aces to reach the Finals in only their second season. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3:30 p.m. ET in San Francisco on NBC and Peacock.
