Starting 5: Preseason duels shine as regular season nears

James Harden scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half against the Magic.

Eight days out.

A whole season in sight.

Spida’s got his eyes

on the regular season, which tips off Tuesday, Oct. 20, with an

NBC/Peacock tripleheader

.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

A Week Of Firsts:

Debuts, new pairings and marquee returns highlighted the first week of preseason

Sunday Night Spotlight:

Jokić triple-doubles, Wilson shines again, Harden heats up, Hornets roll

Ayo’s Impact:

How Dosunmu is bringing a new edge to the Wolves, who face the Knicks tonight

Reasons For Optimism:

Why every East team has reason to believe entering 2026-27

League Pass Watch List:

Fifteen early-season matchups to circle on your calendar

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Monday means more hoops…

Monday brings five matchups,

including the Wolves visiting the Knicks on NBA TV (

7:30 ET

).

Regular Season Countdown:

The regular season is just over a week out, starting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader.

Celtics at Pistons

(3 ET)

76ers at Knicks

(7 ET)

Thunder at Spurs

(9:30 ET)

1. A WEEK OF FIRSTS: PRESEASON DEBUTS & ANTICIPATED RETURNS

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The regular season

is just eight days away, but the first full week of preseason action brought no shortage of big moments.

That included a slew of first looks

, from familiar faces in new places to long-awaited returns.

Sixers Star Power:

A new era has begun in Philly, and fans got their first glimpse at the team’s new starting five on Thursday, when LeBron James made his Sixers debut alongside Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe.

Instant Impact:

James

wasted no time

getting his teammates involved, dishing out 5 1st-quarter assists en route to 10 points, 4 boards and 5 dimes in the first half.

Gary Dineen + Minas Panagiotakis/NBAE via Getty Images

New Duos:

Early chemistry has also been on display in Minnesota between

LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards

, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo have been

clicking in Miami

Double Trouble:

The Wolves are 2-1 entering tonight’s matchup against the Knicks (7:30 ET, NBA TV), with Edwards leading the team in points (16.5 ppg) and Ball pacing the team in assists (5.0 apg)

Miami Muscle:

Giannis has been a force for the Heat, including an 18-point 1st half in his last outing and a

left-handed poster

David Sherman + Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome Back:

While new faces and pairings have generated plenty of buzz, the preseason has also brought emotional returns, highlighted by Tyrese Haliburton’s

homecoming at Iowa State

Full Circle:

472 days after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals, Haliburton returned to action in front of a sold-out crowd at his former college arena, posting 7 points and 6 dimes in 16 minutes as Indy beat Minnesota

“I wouldn’t want to do it

anywhere else but my second home,” said Haliburton of his return, addressing the crowd pregame. “

Iowa State is so special to me

.”

Dame Time In Portland:

Damian Lillard made his return from a 2025 Achilles tear that same night, scoring 15 points in his first game as a Blazer since 2023, while Ja Morant saw his first action in a Portland uniform

“It felt like I was back

where I belong,” said Lillard postgame. “

Back home

Also Back?

Kyrie Irving, who, 19 months after tearing his ACL, returned for Dallas on Sunday, leading the Mavs to a win (

17 pts in 22 mins

) in the second of two NBA China Games in Macao

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

2. SUNDAY NIGHT SPOTLIGHT: JOKIĆ & WILSON DUEL, CAVS & HORNETS ROLL

Hours after the Mavs and Rockets

wrapped up NBA China Games 2026 in Macao, three more preseason matchups tipped off Sunday night.

That included a showdown

between this year’s No. 4 pick and a three-time Kia MVP.

Nuggets 133, Bulls 128:

After dropping 21 points on Friday, Caleb Wilson shined again for Chicago (17 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast) and

beat the buzzer

before halftime to put the Bulls up 68-59.

But Nikola Jokić

and the Nuggets answered with a 40-26 3rd quarter, as Jokić completed a triple-double (

22 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast

), before Denver held on in the 4th. |

Recap

Trading Takeoffs:

Aaron Gordon (team-high 25 pts, 6 reb) slipped past Wilson to rock the rim, but the rookie answered right back, soaring down the lane for a

two-handed hammer of his own

Joker Being Joker:

Jokić got in on the highlights with an

overhand dime to Gordon

from underneath Denver’s basket. The Joker finished the night 8-of-12 from the field, joining seven other Nuggets in double figures

Bulls Buckets:

Leonard Miller led Chicago with a game-high 26 points, including 14 in the 2nd half, as a late Bulls push fell just short

Cavaliers 119, Magic 105:

James Harden

netted 20 of his 24 points

in the 1st half, Evan Mobley controlled the interior (14 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk) and the Cavs earned a near wire-to-wire win over Tristan da Silva (17 pts, 4 3s) and the Magic. |

Two-Way Plays:

Mobley, the 2024-25 Kia Defensive Player of the Year, got up for a

big-time block

, while Donovan Mitchell (11 pts, 6 ast)

threaded the needle

to set up a Mario Hezonja jam

Hornets 105, Bucks 90:

How will Naz Reid fit in with Charlotte? On Sunday, the early signs looked promising, as the newly acquired Hornet dropped 16 points in 20 minutes.

Brandon Miller

added to the attack in his first preseason outing, scoring a team-high 18 points while adding 4 dimes, as the Hornets outpaced Tyler Herro (18 pts, 7 reb) and the Bucks. |

3. TONIGHT: WOLVES VISIT KNICKS ON NBA TV, PLUS AYO’S EDGE

Tyler Clouse + Sarah Stier/NBAE via Getty Images

There’s a new energy in Minnesota.

Tonight, the Wolves bring it to Madison Square Garden to face the defending champion Knicks (7:30 ET, NBA TV).

Much of that buzz surrounds

Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, who have already flashed their chemistry this preseason. But another member of Minnesota’s backcourt has helped set the tone: Ayo Dosunmu.

The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski

examines how Dosunmu is bringing toughness and leadership to the Wolves, including his efforts to push Edwards to another level:

“Throughout much of the summer,

and for the entirety of the fall, Anthony Edwards could feel a different energy when he showed up for work at the Minnesota Timberwolves’ practice facility.

As the unquestioned face

of the franchise, Edwards has the run of the place. His voice is often the loudest. His swagger is unmatched, and often unchallenged. Until recently.

Every time Edwards

stepped on the court for an open run, and every time the team has gone at it during training camp, Ayo Dosunmu has been right in Edwards’ grille.” |

Read More

Four more games

get underway on League Pass, starting at 4 ET, when Ja Morant, Damian Lillard and the Blazers host the London Lions, the reigning back-to-back champions of England’s Super League Basketball.

Plus,

this year’s No. 1 pick, AJ Dybantsa, is potentially back in action as the Wizards host the Nets (7 ET).

Thunder at Hawks

Spurs at Jazz

(9 ET)

4. SCHUHMANN’S REASONS FOR OPTIMISM: EAST SPOTLIGHT

Lauren Leigh Bacho + Sarah Stier/NBAE via Getty Images

A new season

brings new possibilities.

From fresh faces

and emerging young talent to renewed championship aspirations, every team has reasons to be optimistic entering 2026-27.

As part of the

Amex Season Preview

,

NBA.com’s John Schuhmann identified one of those reasons for all 30 teams. Today, we spotlight his optimistic perspectives in the East, with a quick look at four teams.

Hawks:

“They were 27-14 with CJ McCollum in the lineup last season, then won more playoff games vs. the Knicks (2) than the Sixers, Cavs and Spurs combined.”

Cavaliers: “

Peyton Watson might be the missing ingredient for a talented team that reached the conference finals in May.”

Bucks: “

The seeds of future success have been planted, with the Bucks having six guys who were selected in the top 20 in the last five drafts.”

Wizards:

“AJ Dybantsa is a future star, and the combination of Trae Young and Anthony Davis could make this the best Wizards season in several years.” |

5. FIFTEEN EARLY MUST-SEE MATCHUPS ON LEAGUE PASS

David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Mark your calendars.

The 2026-27 season is nearly here, and the first two months are packed with must-see action on League Pass.

With so much on tap,

NBA.com’s Shaun Powell highlighted 15 games to circle from the start of the regular season through New Year’s Eve. Below is a look at the first three…

Oct. 25: Pistons vs. Sixers (7:30 ET):

“Philadelphia will open at home against the team with the best record in the East last season. It won’t be simple for the recharged Sixers to snatch that designation from Cade Cunningham and the Pistons, but the first hints will be dropped right away.”

David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Oct. 31: Wolves vs. Spurs (8 ET):

“A group of players from each of these teams spent a portion of the summer training in Paris. That’s the benefit of having Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) and Rudy Gobert (Wolves) as teammates.

Those groups

didn’t meet up at the Louvre, but will see each other in San Antonio on Halloween, supplying a Western Conference treat.”

Nov. 5: Heat vs. Warriors (10 ET):

“Giannis Antetokounmpo was rumored to get traded to several teams last summer, the Warriors among them. Well, as we know now, he took his talents elsewhere.

Still, this is a delicious test

against Stephen Curry and especially Draymond Green; the elite defender will have his hands full against Giannis or Bam Adebayo, pick your poison.” |

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