Starting 5: Kyrie's return sparks Dallas in China

Kyrie’s back.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Oct. 11, 2026

Dallas On Top: In Kyrie Irving’s return, the Mavericks ran away from the Rockets in front of an excited crowd in China

Saturday Spotlight: PG’s Celtics debut, a rookie duel in the Bay and a Wizards OT win

Saturday Roundup: Wolves’ game-winner in Miami leads night of close contests

Tonight On ESPN: A preseason doubleheader featuring Magic-Cavs and Bulls-Nuggets

Amex Season Previews: A closer look at the five teams in the Southwest Division

BUT FIRST … ⏰

More hoops tonight…

Following this morning’s matinee from Macao, three more preseason games are on tap tonight, including an ESPN doubleheader showcasing three playoff teams from last season and one of the most exciting rookies in this year’s class.

The action tips off in Cleveland as the Cavs host the Magic (6:30 ET, ESPN) in a clash of two teams ready to contend in the loaded East. In the nightcap, the Nuggets host Bulls (9:00 ET, ESPN) as No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson looks to continue his strong preseason showing.

The Countdown Is On: Just nine days remain until the 2026-27 NBA season begins with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

The 2026 WNBA Finals are set with the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream set to clash in a best-of-seven series, tipping off Saturday, Oct. 17. Both franchises are seeking their first-ever WNBA championship.

1. KYRIE’S RETURN SPARKS MAVERICKS TO WIN IN MACAO

Mavericks 132, Rockets 115: Kyrie Irving (17 pts in 22 minutes) returned in good form to spark Dallas to a win in our second contest in Macao, looking healthy in his first game since March 2025. | Recap

• A Smart Start: Marcus Smart (20 pts) was the high scorer for Houston in his first appearance with the team.
• Raising The Flagg: Cooper Flagg added 14 points and seven assists for the Mavericks, including this highlight-reel breakaway jam.

This concludes the 16th edition of the NBA China Games.

• A Dallas Redux: The Mavericks last won in China in 2018, when they defeated the 76ers. Dwight Powell, who had 3 points and five rebounds Sunday, played for Dallas in that contest as well.
• The De Larrea Debut: No. 25 pick Sergio de Larrea (9 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast) was a game-high +34 for the Mavericks.

2. PG’S CELTICS DEBUT, A ROOKIE SHOWDOWN & A WIZARDS OT WIN

• Familiar Duo: While PG made his Boston debut, the two longest-tenured Celtics — Jayson Tatum (23 pts, 4 3pm) and Payton Pritchard (25 pts, 7 ast, 5 3pm) — put up 48 points and nine 3s
• Familiar Face: Although he did not suit up for the Sixers, Jaylen Brown made his first Boston appearance as a visitor. VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined for 27 to lead Philly, who were also without LeBron James and Joel Embiid

It was a lottery pick showdown in the Bay on Saturday as Sacramento’s Darius Acuff Jr. (No. 7 pick) and Golden State’s Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11) went head-to-head for the first time in this NorCal rivalry.

Warriors 111, Kings 106: Lendeborg did it all with 23 points on 10-for-14 shooting, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Warriors. Brandon Williams added 19, while Brandin Podziemski put up 14 points just hours after the Warriors announced his five-year extension. | Recap

• Acuff Shows Out: Sacramento’s young point guard had his best game in his three preseason outings, posting game highs of 25 points and eight assists in 27 minutes
• Welcome Back: Seeing his first NBA action in 529 days, Ben Simmons had seven points in nine minutes | First Kings Bucket
• Early Exit: Kings second-year center Maxime Raynaud left the game late in the first half with a right knee injury

On a Wizards team that features a league-high three No. 1 draft picks — including 2026 top pick AJ Dybantsa tossing the alley-oop to 2012 top pick Anthony Davis above — it was a late first-rounder, a second-rounder, and an undrafted player that who closed this one out.

Wizards 114, Pistons 108 (OT): Will Riley scored 13 of his 15 points in the 2nd half and OT, while Felix Okpara (8) and Justin Champagnie (12) scored all of their points in the 4th and OT to lead the Wizards. | Recap

• Back & Forth: Fueled by their starters, the Wizards led by 20 in the 1st quarter. The Pistons rallied all the way back and held a seven-point advantage with four minutes to play, before Washington closed the 4th on a 11-4 run to force OT
• Dybantsa Delivers: In his second preseason game, AJ posted 14 points and seven rebounds over 23 minutes in the win, while Detroit’s top draft pick Ebuka Okorie (No. 17 overall) led the Pistons with 14 points and six assists

3. ROUNDUP: MINNESOTA GAME-WINNER LEADS NIGHT OF CLOSE GAMES

Even without stars like Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in action, there was still plenty of drama in South Beach on Saturday night.

Wolves 125, Heat 124: In a game that featured 16 lead changes, Antonio Reeves delivered the final one with 2.3 seconds left, sinking a game-winning floater to seal the road victory for Minnesota. | Recap

• Opportunity Knocks: With Ant and Melo out, Bones Hyland took the starring role for Minnesota, posting a game-high 23 points with five 3s. Zyon Pullin added 22 points off the bench for the Wolves

Jordan Jones, Michael Hickey & Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Raptors 114, Clippers 106: It’s fitting that the only Canadian on the Raptors’ roster was not going to let his team close out the 2026 NBA Canada Games without a victory.

Toronto native RJ Barrett put up 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 23 minutes to lead six Raptors in double figures in a 114-106 win over the Clippers in Vancouver. | Recap

• Quick Work: Immanuel Quickley needed only 19 minutes to stuff the stat sheet (18 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, 5 3pm), while Scottie Barnes added a double-double (12 pts, 10 reb) and Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles chipped in 13 points each

Hawks 119, Pacers 117: After 13 lead changes in the game’s first 18 minutes, the Hawks used a quick 8-0 run to take control and never trailed again, answering every Pacers’ run in the 2nd half. | Recap

• Two Hawks: Behind a combined 38 points from Jalen Johnson (20 pts, 7 reb) and Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks fended off the Pacers, who were led by Pascal Siakam and Kelly Oubre Jr. with 13 points apiece with Tyrese Haliburton out

Suns 102, Spurs 98: Without Devin Booker and facing the defending Western Conference champs, the Suns got a combined 38 points and seven 3s from Luke Kennard (20 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 4 3pm) and Jalen Green (18 pts, 5 ast, 3 3pm) and held off a late Spurs run for their first preseason win. | Recap

• Spurs Trio: Dylan Harper (15 pts, 4 ast), Victor Wembanyama (13 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 2 blk) and Stephon Castle (13 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) led the Spurs through three quarters before sitting the final frame

4. TONIGHT ON ESPN: MAGIC AT CAVS, BULLS AT NUGGETS

Rich Storry/NBAE via Getty Images

At February’s trade deadline, the Cavs added former MVP James Harden to join the core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. After finishing fourth in the East, the Cavs reached the East Finals before being swept by the Knicks.

This summer, they acquired Peyton Watson from Denver in a five-team trade to round out their starting five. After Harden missed Thursday’s preseason opener with ankle soreness, tonight’s matchup with Orlando (6:30 ET, ESPN) could give us our first look at this new lineup.

• Harden on Watson: “It was a no-brainer. He’s young, he’s athletic, he’s gotten a lot better and it just fits what we’re trying to do. He’s been in postseason runs with Denver, so he knows what that looks like.”
• Mitchell on building chemistry: “This is probably the most time I’ve spent with my teammates outside of the actual season in my career. From being in New York at the (US) Open and working out there and then going to James’ birthday and working out there.”

The Cavs take on a Magic team coming off a win in the preseason debut of new coach Sean Sweeney, who reached the 2024 Finals as an assistant in Dallas and the 2026 Finals as associate head coach in San Antonio — the final stop on his two-decade journey to earning his first NBA head coaching job.

The Magic just endured their third straight first-round playoff exit and are hopeful that a new voice and a healthy roster centered around the trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane will result in a deeper playoff run.

• Wagner on Orlando’s upside: “We’ve had some success, but I think we still got so much untapped potential and so many levels we can still get to.”
• Banchero on Sweeney: “We had multiple long conversations and I got to pick his brain. Him telling me what he expects from me, asking me what I want and stuff like that. So, you can’t ask for anything more from a new coach.”

Dustin Bradford/NBAE via Getty Images

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then consider Nikola Jokić among the flattered as fellow NBA players have been attempting his viral behind-the-back crosscourt dime from Denver’s preseason opener.

Tonight (9:00 ET, ESPN), Jokić and the Nuggets host the Bulls and No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson, who has looked strong through his first two preseason games, averaging 18 points in 30.4 minutes per game, while splashing five 3s in his last game.

5. AMEX SEASON PREVIEWS: SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images

Our division-by-division tour of the 2026-27 Amex Season Previews concludes with the Southwest, featuring last season’s Western Conference champions, rising contenders, promising young talent and two new head coaches looking to make an impact.

NBA.com’s Shaun Powell breaks down all five teams – including their season outlooks, potential breakout candidates and must-see matchups – with a glimpse of each preview below:

Mavericks: “The goal is obvious — build a contender with Cooper Flagg as the centerpiece. On the heels of his very solid rookie campaign, Flagg seems ready to make an All-Star push, remarkable for a 19-year-old.” | Read More

Rockets: “The ingredients are here for another 50-win result. Beyond that, however, the distance to which the Rockets will travel in the postseason (they’ve lost in the first round two years straight) will depend on a number of ifs.” | Read More

Grizzlies: “The Grizzlies embark on a new era and search for a new personality. The Morant-Jaren Jackson Jr. teams are history. It’s time to make new memories and see where this journey is headed, and it begins with the prized top-3 choice [Cameron Boozer].” | Read More

Pelicans: “The Pelicans are virtually running it back with a 26-win team, hoping that growth from within will be significant or at least satisfactory. That’s not necessarily a bad decision; it just places a burden on the young returnees. They must level up.” | Read More

Spurs: “Their 2026 NBA Finals foibles can only serve as a lesson, albeit a painful one, for the Spurs this season as they find themselves once again qualified to play deep into June.” | Read More