Starting 5 Daily Newsletter

Starting 5, Oct. 18: Opening Night on the horizon

With preseason wrapped, all eyes shift to the '25-26 AmEx Tip-Off, featuring an Opening Night doubleheader on NBC & Peacock.

NBA.com Staff

Ousmane Dieng closed the preseason in Oklahoma City with a bang, splashing a game-winning 3 to net a Tissot Buzzer Beater.

On Tuesday, regular season Opening Night tips off in the same arena.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Oct. 18, 2025

  1. Tap to Watch: A new easier way to find NBA games with one single tap
  2. Fantasy guide: Learn about Yahoo High Score and dive into draft strategies and rankings
  3. Preseason finales: Thunder, Laker and Warriors get one last one run before opening night
  4. Roundup: Spurs’ perfect preseason, Embiid shines in return, Grizzlies close strong
  5. 4th wins: Raptors and Knicks are two of six teams with four-plus wins this preseason

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Three more sleeps!

The countdown to Amex Tip-Off continues: The 2025-26 NBA season begins in just three days with an Opening Night doubleheader on NBC & Peacock on Tuesday.

1. TAP TO WATCH: LIVE GAME STREAMS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

Finding live NBA games just got a whole lot easier.

Friday marked the official launch of ‘Tap to Watch,’ a new feature that lets fans go straight from scrolling to streaming – instantly.

Every national game – across ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Prime – along with nearly every local game is now just a tap away.

Here’s how it works:

  • Instant access: Whether you’re on the NBA App, NBA.com or a team site, the new ‘Watch’ button on game pages takes you directly to the live broadcast – via national, local or League Pass streaming services – depending on game and location. | See how it works
  • Everywhere you scroll: See a ‘Watch’ button through other NBA partners such as Google, Meta, X, Snap, Reddit, Roku or Dapper Labs? Tap it and you’re instantly taken to the appropriate game telecast
  • Real-Time Scores: The NBA App also now shows live ticking scores synced to NBA arenas – so you can track all the action before diving in
  • More partners coming: More integrations with FanDuel, Fanatics, Yahoo and other digital and connected TV partners will arrive later this season, expanding ‘Tap to Watch’ even further
  • One tap to Tip-Off: Use ‘Tap to Watch’ to jump right into Opening Week American Express Tip-Off, from NBC’s Opening Night doubleheader (Tuesday, Oct. 21) to Prime’s regular-season debut (Friday, Oct. 24) | Full 2025-26 Schedule

Alex Goodlett/NBAE via Getty Images

In addition to Tap To Watch, the 2025-26 season begins with the re-imagined NBA App and NBA TV, offering nonstop basketball content – a mix of live games, highlights, analysis and original programming – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

  • The Association: The new primetime “basketball-cast” features MJ Acosta-Ruiz, David Fizdale, Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes and John Wall, blending real-time analysis, player perspective and authentic hoops conversation. | Full Episodes | Key Moments
  • Live games: NBA TV will air 60 games during the regular season, beginning Oct. 25 when the defending NBA champion Thunder visit the Hawks (7:30 ET)
  • Exclusive content: Real Training Camp offers behind-the-scenes access to see how teams are gearing up for the season; Loud City chronicles the OKC Thunder’s road to the 2024-25 title; Coaches Corner features 1-on-1 conversations with head coaches around the league and ESPN’s Tim Legler

2. FANTASY GUIDE: STRATEGIES & TIPS FOR YAHOO HIGH SCORE

Stephen Maturen/NBAE via Getty Images

Just as Tap to Watch will make it easier to find NBA games this season, Yahoo High Score will make playing fantasy basketball easier than ever.

What is High Score: It is the new default scoring system for Yahoo Fantasy Basketball – the official season-long partner of the NBA – that offers a simple, easy-to-play alternative to traditional leagues.

Here’s how it works:

  • Streamlined rosters: High Score trims rosters to 10 players, with six weekly starters — creating teams packed with stars
  • More flexibility: High Score only requires two guards, three frontcourt players and one flex spot, giving you the freedom to draft a team without being locked into strict positional requirements
  • Simplified scoring: In High Score, you set your lineup just once per week and let each starter’s single highest point total of the week count toward your overall score. That means it only takes one great game from a player to make an impact

Not looking for a change? Don’t worry, the traditional fantasy basketball formats are still available for those who love the grind of daily updates and rewards players that track every hot and cold streak.

With Opening Night just three days away, it’s last call to get your fantasy drafts completed before the 2025-26 season officially tips off.

Need some last-minute help with your draft? Check out the advice below to get an advantage as you enter the draft room.

3. FINAL PRESEASON LOOK AT THREE OPENING NIGHT SQUADS

William Purnell/NBAE via Getty Images

Three of the four teams that will take the court during Tuesday’s Opening Night – the Thunder, Warriors and Lakers – closed out preseason play on Friday.

Thunder 94, Nuggets 91
Last year’s West Semis between the Thunder and Nuggets came down to a single game, with OKC prevailing in seven. In their first meeting since, the preseason finale came down to a single shot. | Recap

  • Count it: Ousmane Dieng delivered the familiar sight of OKC celebrating at midcourt, hitting a game-winning step-through 3 as time expired. He netted 13 of his game-high 17 points in the 4th.
  • MVPs in the house: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (12 pts, 5 ast, 4 reb in 18 min) got his teammates involved in the win, while fellow MVP Nikola Jokić got the night off, as did Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
  • Chet’s home: Chet Holmgren returned to the floor for the first time since Game 7 of the Finals and looked sharp (9 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast) in 19 minutes.
  • Denver standouts: Peyton Watson (15 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast) led five Nuggets in double figures, including Tim Hardaway Jr. and Julian Strawther, who hit four 3s each

Kings 117, Lakers 116
A clutch free throw by Isaac Jones with 0.8 ticks left and a defensive stop capped off a game-ending 16-8 run by the Kings to give Sacramento its first preseason win since 2023 and spoil a 31-point night from Luka Dončić in the final game of the preseason slate. | Recap

  • On point: Dennis Schröder (25 pts) and Keon Ellis (20 pts, 6 3PM) combined for 45 to lead the Kings, while rookie Nique Clifford had seven dimes, including the alley-oop lob to Jones to give the Kings their first lead of the 2nd half. (⬆️)
  • Luka shines: In his second preseason game, DonÄŤić filled the box score (31 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast, 6 3PM) in 32 minutes, while Gabe Vincent (14 pts) and Rui Hachimura (18 pts) each splashed four 3s.

Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Clippers 106, Warriors 103
LA took the lead with 6:27 left in the 1st quarter and never gave it back, holding off multiple runs by Steph Curry (20 pts, 5 ast, 4 3PM) and the Warriors to secure the win and finish the preseason at 3-1. | Recap

  • Bench comes up big: Kobe Sanders led all scorers with 25 points as LA’s reserves outscored Golden State’s bench 78-46.
  • Beal’s Clippers debut: After missing LA’s first three preseason games, Bradley Beal put up 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting in under 15 minutes. His first Clippers bucket? A pure midrange pullup jumper.

4. SPURS CAP UNBEATEN PRESEASON, EMBIID RETURNS, GRIZZLIES ROLL LATE

Spurs 133, Pacers 104
The last two Kia Rookie of the Year winners – Victor Wembanyama (17 pts, 12 reb, 4 blk) and Stephon Castle (16 pts, 9 ast) combined for 33 points as the Spurs completed a perfect 5-0 preseason with a win over the Pacers. | Recap

  • Must-see Spurs: Castle climbed the ladder not once, but twice, with Wemby loving the alley-oop spike from Castle off the Devin Vassell lob. Wemby also unleashed his one-of-a-kind footwork and length for the finger roll finish.
  • All-In: The Spurs played 14 players in their preseason finale and all 14 players got in the scoring column, with seven in double figures.
  • Setting the pace: Aaron Nesmith (12 pts, 3 ast, 2 3PM) and Pascal Siakam (9 pts, 4 ast) led the way for Indy, which finished the preseason at 2-2.

76ers 126, Timberwolves 110
Playing for the first time since February, Joel Embiid nearly posted a triple-double (14 pts, 8 ast, 7 reb, 3 stl, 2 3PM) in less than 19 minutes to lead the Sixers to their only win of the preseason. | Recap

  • That’s my VJ: 3rd overall pick VJ Edgecombe showed out with his best performance of the preseason, scoring 11 of his 26 points in the 4th to go with six boards, five steals and three dimes.
  • Maxey’s moves: Tyrese Maxey found his groove – hitting the Dougie and dropping a game-high (and preseason-best) 27 points with seven assists in the win, while Quentin Grimes added 22 in his lone preseason game.
  • Ready early: Leonard Miller (21 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl) led six players in double figures for the Wolves, who rested their starters on the second night of a back-to-back.

Tomas Diniz Santos/NBAE via Getty Images

Grizzlies 141, Heat 125
Trailing by one heading into the 4th quarter, the Grizzlies took over the game in the final frame, outscoring the Heat 39-22 to earn their first win of the preseason while keeping Miami without a preseason dub. | Recap

  • Sleuth of scorers: Jaylen Wells notched three of his team-high 21 points on a six-bounce corner 3 in the 1st quarter. He was one of nine Grizzlies to score in double figures in the win.
  • Triple 20s: Miami got 20+ points from Bam Adebayo (23 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast), Norman Powell (23 pts, 3 3PM) and Kel’el Ware (20 pts, 14 reb), but Memphis won the bench scoring battle 82-39.

5. RAPTORS, KNICKS PICK UP 4TH PRESEASON WINS

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Raptors 119, Nets 114
All five Raptors starters collected double-digit points, as Scottie Barnes (31 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl) pushed the pack past Friday’s top scorer Michael Porter Jr. and the Nets. | Recap

  • Rising Raptors? Immanuel Quickley’s preseason-best 10 assists helped spread the scoring, as Toronto sets its sights on an Eastern Conference climb after a 4-2 preseason.
  • Finding the nets: Porter Jr. (34 pts, 10 reb, 6 3PM) led the Nets, who finished the preseason with a top-10 scoring offense, which wasn’t enough to overcome a balanced Raptors attack on Friday.

Knicks 113, Hornets 108
Jalen Brunson (game-high 31 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 5 3PM) looked regular-season ready as the Knicks withstood a high-scoring Hornets squad that got 75 points from its starters. New York earned the second-best record in the East this preseason at 4-1. | Recap

  • Quick sting: Miles McBride piled up eight quick points in a two-minute span midway through the 4th quarter to help the Knicks pull away for good.
  • High-scoring hive: Without LaMelo Ball (inactive), offseason pickup Collin Sexton paced Charlotte with 21 points, 10 assists and five 3s.

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