Starting 5: Preseason hoops and festivities roll on, NBA China Games near

Tyrese Haliburton could make his preseason return tonight after missing the entire 2025-26 season.

Steph being Steph,

and a Dubs’ dub on “Nellie Night.”

The Warriors rolled

on a special night in the Bay, while the Rockets and Mavs gear up for the NBA China Games in Macao.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Macao All-Access:

Rockets & Mavs soak in the sights and fanfare before NBA China Games 2026

Tuesday’s Best:

Lendeborg & Steph shine on Nellie Night, Nuggets overcome Peterson

Roundup:

Randle & MPJ power Nets in Charlotte, Pels storm back in OKC

The Road Back:

Haliburton & Lillard’s parallel paths from injury to potential return

Amex Season Previews:

Brian Martin examines all five teams in the Central Division

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Five games

get underway tonight, including another NBA TV doubleheader as the Pacers open their preseason against the Wolves (

7 ET

), before the Blazers host the Warriors (

10 ET

), with Ja Morant potentially making his first appearance for Portland.

1. MACAO ALL-ACCESS: ROCKETS & MAVS PREP FOR NBA CHINA GAMES

David Dow + Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA has landed

in Macao.

In less than 48 hours,

the Rockets and Mavericks meet at The Venetian for the first of two NBA China Games, squaring off Friday (8 a.m. ET), before running it back Sunday (6 a.m. ET), with both games on NBA TV.

But the trip is about more

than preseason reps. It’s a chance to bring the NBA closer to its global fanbase, continuing to grow a game that knows no borders.

So, what’s it like on the ground?

Let’s go all-access with the Mavs and Rockets as they take in the NBA China Games experience.

Rockets Arrive:

Fans lined the entrance to Houston’s team hotel to welcome the Rockets to Macao, where two letters stole the show: “

K-D! K-D! K-D!

”

Room Tour:

Ever wonder what an NBA player’s hotel room looks like on a trip like this? Steven Adams

has you covered

In The Lab:

Houston soon hit the hardwood for practice, offering an

early glimpse

at the custom NBA China Games floor and an arena that will be rocking come Friday

For The Fans:

After putting in the work, Alperen Sengun traded the rock for a Sharpie,

signing autographs

for a slew of fans

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

The fan connection

continued with Dallas, as a large crowd gathered to watch the Mavs take in the

sights of Macao

during their team photoshoot outside The Venetian.

For Dallas’ two stars,

19-year-old Cooper Flagg and 34-year-old Kyrie Irving, the trip represents opposite ends of the spectrum: a first taste of Asia for one and a return to a familiar place for the other. But the excitement is mutual.

“First time in Asia,”

said Flagg, coming off the long flight. “It’s pretty cool … get some fresh air, get to

check out the new culture

… I’m excited.”

“Eternally grateful to be here

with some of my family,” said Irving while signing autographs. “It’s basically like a

second home for me now

. The amount of support I’ve had since I was 19 years old.”

Back To Work:

Flagg also joined in on the autograph session, before the Mavs

hit the practice floor

ahead of Friday’s showdown (8 a.m. ET, NBA TV)

2. TUESDAY’S BEST: NELLIE NIGHT & SHINING ROOKS

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

As the hoops world

looks ahead to Friday, the Warriors took a moment Tuesday to look back, honoring the life and legacy of legendary coach Don Nelson on “Nellie Night.”

Nelson,

who passed away in August at 86, spent 11 seasons across two stints as Golden State’s head coach, guiding both the famed “Run TMC” teams and the 2006-07 “We Believe” Warriors.

And last night,

the 2026-27 Dubs honored Nellie with something he knew plenty about: a win.

Warriors 124, Lakers 98:

This year’s No. 11 pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, was

feeling it

(17 pts, 9 reb, 7-11 FG), and Steph Curry – who played for Nelson as a rookie in 2009-10 – was

just as hot

(16 pts, 5 ast in 14 mins) as the duo powered Golden State to a big win over Sandro Mamukelashvili (15 pts) and the Lakers. |

Recap

For Nellie:

With multiple Warriors greats in attendance, the team debuted a yellow “Nellie” patch on their jerseys, honoring the coach whose

1,335 wins

rank 2nd all-time

“He was an icon

in the NBA family,” said Curry,

addressing the crowd pregame

. “Did so much for the Bay Area, so we want to honor him all year with this patch.”

As Lendeborg shined

in the Bay alongside Curry, another top Draft pick went off in Utah.

But it was Denver

that got the dub.

Nuggets 117, Jazz 106:

Darryn Peterson

did it all

in his second preseason outing: finishing lobs, throwing lobs and burying a string of tough buckets en route to a game-high 23 points and 3 dimes.

However,

the Nuggets pulled away behind Aaron Gordon (18 pts, 5 reb), Julian Strawther (15 pts, 3 3s) and Cam Whitmore (14 pts, 1 monster jam). |

Joker Contributions:

Nikola Jokić, two days removed from a

dime we’re still trying to process

, added 6 points, 5 assists and 4 boards in 16 minutes

Returning The Love:

After young Jazz fan Hudson went viral for hyping up the team from his room, Utah brought him onto the court at practice for an

unforgettable moment

3. ROUNDUP: NETS & PELS OPEN PRESEASONS WITH WINS

One game into the preseason,

Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. are

already clicking

.

Nets 124, Hornets 90:

Porter Jr. went 4-of-6 from deep for a game-high 16 points, while Randle added 13 and 3 assists in his first outing as a Net, leading Brooklyn to a big win over Liam McNeeley (14 pts) and the Hornets. |

Randle Running, Porter Popping:

Randle capped a personal 7-0 run with a

breakaway jam

, before dishing a behind-the-back dime to Porter Jr. for 3 ⬆️

New Buzz:

Naz Reid (4 reb) and Grayson Allen (3-3 3pm) scored 13 apiece in their Charlotte debuts. And Hugo the Hornet? He’s already

in midseason form

Pelicans 116, Thunder 110:

Zion Williamson soared into 2026-27 with a left-handed hammer for his first points of the preseason, and the Pelicans stormed back from a 24-point deficit to beat the Thunder. |

Pels Pop:

Offseason addition Bennedict Mathurin led NOLA in scoring (13 pts, 5 ast), while sophomores Jeremiah Fears (12 pts) and Derik Queen (10 pts, 9 reb) combined for 22

Young Thunder:

OKC’s tandem of first-round picks, Aday Mara (12 pts, 5-5 FG, 9 reb, 3 blk) and Bennett Stirtz (15 pts, 6 ast),

showed out

in their preseason debuts

4. THE ROAD BACK: TWO POTENTIAL RETURNS TONIGHT ON NBA TV

Via Indiana Pacers + Portland Trail Blazers Instagram

Two stars.

Two devastating injuries. Less than two months apart.

Tyrese Haliburton

was on the floor when Damian Lillard tore his Achilles in Game 4 of the Bucks-Pacers 2025 First Round matchup. Fifty-six days later, in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton suffered the same injury as Indiana fell one win shy of its first title in franchise history.

Tonight on NBA TV,

the two stars could make their returns as Haliburton’s Pacers host Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and the Wolves (7 ET), before Lillard’s Blazers visit Steph Curry and the Warriors (10 ET).

For both Haliburton and Lillard,

the road back has meant tapping into the same mentality that fueled their rise.

Haliburton, June 2025 → Haliburton, September 2026 (via Tyrese Haliburton + Indiana Pacers Instagram)

Parallel Paths:

Before captivating the basketball world during Indiana’s improbable run to the 2025 Finals, Haliburton took a winding path from Iowa State to the No. 12 pick in the 2020 Draft, then from Sacramento to Indiana, where he blossomed into an All-Star.

But after reaching

basketball’s biggest stage, his injury brought him back to a familiar starting point.

“

I’m not the typical NBA story

,”

said Haliburton at Media Day. “I was very under-recruited. I never thought the NBA was a possibility. I get here, still don’t really know if I belong. I get traded. I work my tail off …

“So, to kind of go back

to being at the bottom … to a sense, I feel like that underdog mentality … and that’s been fun, kinda having to rebuild who I am.”

That rebuild

took more than a year, as Haliburton worked his way through a

grueling rehab process

that cost him all of 2025-26.

Now, the mentality

that powered his recovery mirrors the one surrounding the Pacers – a team looking to rebound from a 19-win season without its superstar.

“Me and my teammates, we’re resilient,”

said Haliburton of Indiana’s approach to the new season. “We’re guys who have fought and clawed to get to where we are. That won’t change at all … we all have a chip on our shoulder.”

Dame At Work: October 2012 → March 2026 (Sam Forencich + Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images)

That chip is familiar to Lillard.

Long before becoming the Blazers’ all-time leading scorer, he took an unlikely road through Weber State to the No. 6 pick in the 2012 Draft.

Fourteen years later,

another challenge has Lillard motivated to defy expectations once again.

“It was long, but I just embraced

the journey that it was,” said Lillard of his recovery process at Media Day. “I know at 34 years old, tearing your Achilles …

“I remember the night that I did it.

Came back to my house … I was watching one of the [highlight] shows on TV, and they were like, ‘This is the last of Dame Lillard as we know it.’ And right then, that kinda just

turned me up

.”

His response

was to do what Dame has long been known for: work.

Lillard returned to Portland

last summer after two years in Milwaukee, spending his first season back rehabbing behind the scenes while mentoring from the sidelines.

And as he prepares for 2026-27,

the 13-year vet is leaning on the approach that helped turn a once-overlooked recruit into a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

“It’s been my life to get up

and fight the fight,” said Lillard at Media Day. “And be willing to do things that people might not expect me to be willing to do.”

Now,

after suffering the same injury 56 days apart, Lillard and Haliburton have fought back – and could complete their comebacks on the same night.

More Stars To Watch:

Tonight could also mark Ja Morant’s first preseason appearance as a Blazer after they acquired him from Memphis in a trade this summer

Garrett Ellwood + Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Three more games

tip off on League Pass, all at 8 ET, including the potential debut of this year’s No. 4 pick, Caleb Wilson, as Chicago opens its preseason against Phoenix. Plus, the Thunder host the Bucks, while the Magic visit the Grizzlies.

5. AMEX SEASON PREVIEWS: CENTRAL DIVISION SPOTLIGHT

Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images

Our division-by-division tour

of the

2026-27 Amex Season Previews

continues with the Central, where new beginnings meet unfinished business.

NBA.com’s Brian Martin

breaks down all five Central squads – including their season outlooks, potential breakout candidates and must-see matchups – with a glimpse of each preview below:

Bucks:

“The foundation of a rebuilding effort [begins] under new head coach Taylor Jenkins as the Bucks define their new identity in a post-Giannis world.” |

Read More

Bulls:

“There is new leadership in the front office in Bryson Graham, a new voice on the sidelines in head coach Tiago Splitter, and a new potential franchise player in No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson.” |

Cavaliers:

“As the Cavs look to take the next step in their maturation … they will have the benefit of a full training camp and regular season with this core together.” |

Pacers:

“If Indiana’s previous run to the Finals proved anything, it’s that you should not underestimate [Tyrese] Haliburton and the Pacers.” |

Pistons:

“[Jalen] Duren and Cade Cunningham formed an All-NBA duo last season and will likely need to replicate that success if the Pistons hope to remain at the top of an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference.” |

Want to share Starting 5 with a friend?

Send them this link

Shape the Starting 5.

Email us here

Don’t have the NBA App?

Download it here