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The first full week of NBA preseason 2026 results delivered just what fans wanted: big names back on the floor and plenty of new faces in new colours. Kyrie Irving played his first game since tearing his ACL in March 2025. LeBron James pulled on a Sixers jersey in a game for the first time, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t miss a shot. Exhibition scores don’t count for much, but the week still threw up a handful of real talking points.
Kyrie returns as Mavs and Rockets split in Macao
Houston and Dallas took the NBA China Games to the Venetian Arena in Macao, and they shared the spoils. On Friday the Rockets won 135-117 with Yao Ming in the building. Alperen Şengün posted a triple-double (16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) in under 22 minutes, and Fred VanVleet scored 17 in his return from a long injury layoff. Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg top-scored for Dallas with 19 points.
Irving sat out the opener with left knee soreness, then took centre stage on Sunday. He scored a reverse layup on the opening possession and finished with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting in just under 22 minutes as Dallas won 132-115. New coach Dusty May called the comeback impressive, and Irving thanked his teammates for backing him through the rehab. Irving counts as one of ours on basketball.com.au’s list of NBA Aussies, and he joked online that he’s still trying to sneak onto the Boomers.
LeBron’s Sixers debut ends in a loss in Brooklyn
James, 41, finally debuted for Philadelphia on Thursday, playing 18 first-half minutes. He went 1-of-1 from the field and 8-of-8 from the line for 10 points, with four rebounds and five assists, all in the first quarter. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 18, but Brooklyn won 114-108 behind a 37-23 third quarter. Earlier in the week, without James, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, the Sixers thrashed the Knicks 120-97 as Brown scored 22 in 17 minutes.
Off the court, James publicly shot down a report that he’d told Embiid off for being late to practice.
SGA picks up where he left off
Gilgeous-Alexander’s first preseason outing on Wednesday was ruthless. He went 5-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from deep for 17 points in 18 minutes against Milwaukee. Rookie centre Aday Mara went 10-of-10 for 22 points. Even so, the Bucks came back from 18 down at half-time to win 128-126.
Aussie watch
Dyson Daniels had 13 points and 11 rebounds in Atlanta’s 123-116 win in San Antonio, with Jock Landale adding 10 off the bench. Josh Giddey had seven assists in the Bulls’ 124-117 win over Phoenix, then scored 13 in a 104-100 loss to Memphis. Ben Simmons finally got on the floor in Sacramento’s 111-106 loss at Golden State, scoring seven points in nine minutes. Duop Reath (Suns), Matisse Thybulle (Lakers), Alex Toohey (Warriors) and Rocco Zikarsky (Wolves) all got minutes, while Johnny Furphy (knee) remains sidelined.
Other storylines
- Kawhi Leonard sat again as Toronto beat the Clippers 114-106 in Vancouver. RJ Barrett had 20.
- Golden State routed the Lakers 124-98. Curry scored 16 in 14 minutes, while Luka Dončić rested.
- Earlier, Dončić had 21 by half-time in a 127-103 win in Sacramento.
- Detroit came from 19 down to beat Phoenix 109-107.
- No.6 pick Mikel Brown Jr. (Nets) sat with an ankle injury, and Charlotte’s Coby White will miss the preseason with a calf strain.
- Washington edged the Knicks 111-109 at Madison Square Garden.
What it means
None of these results count, but the early signs are encouraging for Dallas, which has Irving back next to Flagg, and for Oklahoma City, which already has a superstar in form. Philadelphia is still working out its rotations, and coach Nick Nurse admitted there were clunky stretches in Brooklyn.
The bigger watch is health. Leonard and Embiid are still being managed, and with opening night on 20 October US time, those decisions matter more than any preseason score.
How to watch in Australia
- NBA League Pass (Standard from AU$174.99 a season) shows every game, including every Australian player’s.
- ESPN, available through Disney+, Kayo Sports and Foxtel, carries NBA coverage in Australia for 2026–27.
- The season tips off at 6am AEDT on Wednesday 21 October with Boston at Detroit.
- Every NBA game with AEDT times and confirmed AU broadcasters: USA Sports TV Guide
- Full rundown of platforms and prices: How to Watch NBA in Australia 2026
One email per day at 7:00pm AEDT. Tomorrow’s NBA games with confirmed AEDT times, exact broadcasters, and pick of the day. Free.
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Results accurate as of 11 October 2026 US time. All times AEDT. Mac Johannson covers US sports for Australian fans.