NBA News
Lakers start Vincent for LeBron in opener preview
Using Friday's preseason finale as a "dress rehearsal" for next week's regular-season opener, Lakers coach JJ Redick put Gabe Vincent in the starting lineup to fill in for the injured LeBron James.
(Oct 18 -- ESPN)
Luka Doncic sharp again, but Kings rally to beat Lakers
The Slovenian superstar has 31 points, nine assists and five rebounds but shorthanded Sacramento rallies late to win the final preseason game.
(Oct 18 -- Yahoo Sports)
Luka Doncic sharp again but Kings rally to beat Lakers
The Slovenian superstar has 31 points, nine assists and five rebounds but shorthanded Sacramento rallies late to win the final preseason game.
(Oct 18 -- Yahoo Sports)
Luka Doncic: Paces Los Angeles in loss
Doncic posted 31 points (8-16 FG, 6-11 3Pt, 9-12 FT), nine assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block across 32 minutes in Friday's 117-116 preseason loss to the Kings.
(Oct 18 -- Rotowire)
Kel'el Ware finished Friday's game against the Grizzlies with 20 points (7-of-15 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), 14 rebounds, one steal, and one block.
Ware concluded an impressive preseason with another dominant stat line. In 30 minutes of game action, he did his scoring damage inside the arc and crashed the glass hard to secure his fourth double-double of the preseason. Ware also competed on the defensive end, and going into Year 2, has a chance to take a massive leap and provide Miami with another reliable frontcourt option.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Norman Powell totaled 23 points (8-of-13 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), six assists, one steal and three three-pointers in Friday's loss to the Heat.
Powell rebounded from an inefficient shooting performance against the Hawks to log his most efficient outing of the preseason. He also set a new preseason-high in points, utilizing the three-point shot to log more than 20 points for the first time in a Heat uniform, as well as set a new preseason high in assists. Powell's offensive contributions to begin the regular season will be important, given that Tyler Herro likely won't begin the year healthy. If he can start fast, the former NBA champion may be able to build on a career-best 2024-25 season.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Bam Adebayo added 23 points (9-of-17 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block and two three-pointers against the Grizzlies on Friday.
Despite exiting Monday's game against the Hawks with a knee injury, Adebayo started Friday and played his most minutes of the preseason. He was aggressive in his time on the floor, finishing with a team-high in shot attempts and ending with more than 20 points for the first time during these exhibition games. Adebayo made his usual impact on the defensive end, and if he can regain his shooting efficiency and find another gear as a scorer, he may be able to improve on his 2024-25 campaign.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Javon Small recorded 16 points (6-of-8 FGs), one rebound, five assists and four three-pointers against the Heat on Friday.
Small put the finishing touches on a productive close to the preseason, lighting it up from deep on Friday and making his way to double figures as a scorer on efficient shooting. He concluded the night as Memphis's leader in three-point makes and one of the team's top scorers and facilitators. Small likely won't be in the Grizzlies' nightly rotation, but he does leave the preseason with some positive momentum heading into his rookie campaign.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Aaron Nesmith shot 5-of-7 from the field in Friday's loss to the Spurs, scoring 12 points with one rebound, three assists, one steal and two three-pointers.
Nesmith led the Pacers in scoring in Friday's preseason finale, but the shot distribution amongst the team's starters is unlikely to be the norm during the regular season. Pascal Siakam (9/2/4 with one three-pointer) and Bennedict Mathurin (11 points, four rebounds and one three-pointer) attempted five and six shots, respectively, and they're likely to have the highest shot volume once the games truly count. That said, Nesmith's opportunities may increase as the Pacers look to account for Myles Turner's exit and Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tendon injury.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Andrew Nembhard finished Friday's loss to the Spurs with 10 points (4-of-11 FGs), two rebounds, five assists, one steal and two three-pointers.
While the Pacers did roll out their expected starting five for Friday's preseason finale, none logged more than 18 minutes. Nembhard didn't have a great night shooting the basketball, but was solid running the show. With Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out for the season and T.J. McConnell (hamstring) set to miss the next three weeks, Nembhard must shoulder a heavy workload in 2025-26. That makes him worth the risk in fantasy leagues, and he's come off the board within the first 75 picks of many drafts based on his Yahoo! ADP (74).
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Devin Vassell recorded 10 points (4-of-8 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in Friday's win over the Pacers.
Vassell did not have a big night in the Spurs' preseason finale, but he looked relatively sharp. Based on his Yahoo! ADP of 99, the Spurs wing may be undervalued in many fantasy circles. Vassell has been a top-100 player in four straight seasons, finishing as a seventh-round or better player the last three. While the eventual return of De'Aaron Fox and the continued development of Stephon Castle do need to be factored into any analysis of Vassell, he'll be a starter who can reap the rewards that come with sharing the floor with a transcendent talent like Victor Wembanyama.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Stephon Castle tallied 16 points (5-of-9 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), two rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one three-pointer in Friday's win over the Pacers.
With De'Aaron Fox (hamstring) not on track to return to action for opening night, Castle will likely be the Spurs' starting point guard. He looked the part in his 25 minutes Friday night, shooting efficiently and racking up nine assists with just one turnover. Castle's efficiency was an issue last season, but that's to be expected of a rookie. Look out if Fox's absence allows the reigning Rookie of the Year to hit the ground running. Castle's Yahoo! ADP of 118 may be too low, especially when factoring in Fox's hamstring injury.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Victor Wembanyama amassed 17 points (7-of-9 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal, four blocks and one three-pointer in Friday's win over the Pacers.
Friday's exhibition was the last for the Spurs before the regular season begins next week, and Wembanyama looked sharp. He only missed two shots from the field and recorded a complete stat line, playing 24 minutes. Given how his 2024-25 season ended, the most essential thing for Wemby was to shake off the rust and remain healthy. Wembanyama did that, showing why he should be considered with Nikola Jokic for pick 1.1 in fantasy league drafts.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Jaylen Wells notched 21 points (7-of-10 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), four rebounds, one assist and three three-pointers in Friday's win over the Heat.
Wells' strong preseason concluded on Friday with another solid offensive performance. On efficient shooting, he reached the 20-point mark for the second time this season and tied a preseason high in made threes. Throughout the five exhibition games, he very much looked like a player who started 74 regular-season games the year prior and found success on both ends of the floor. Wells could make another leap in Year 2 after averaging 10.4 points as a rookie.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 13 points (4-of-7 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, one assist and four three-pointers against the Thunder on Friday.
Hardaway Jr. started and played 22 minutes, but when the Nuggets have all their starters playing he's going to come off the bench. Still, the 33-year-old shooting guard showed he still has something left in the tank with the Pistons last year. Playing with Nikola Jokic always helps and there will be opportunities for Hardaway Jr. with the Nuggets this year. He can certainly provide some scoring and threes for fantasy managers in a pinch.
(Oct 17 -- NBC Sports)