NBA Preseason Recap: Celtics Look Ready, Knicks Search for Rhythm as Opening Night Nears

NBA Preseason Recap: Contenders Round Into Shape Ahead of October 20 Tip-Off

With the 2026-27 NBA regular season set to tip off on Tuesday, October 20, the preseason is in its final stretch. Teams are fine-tuning rotations, sorting through roster-bubble battles, and integrating summer additions before final cuts. Here's what the exhibition slate has told us so far — with the usual caveat that October basketball comes with an asterisk.

The statement team: Boston

No team has looked more ready than the Boston Celtics. Their 144-106 demolition of the Philadelphia 76ers on October 10 set a franchise record for points in a preseason game, and the performance felt anything but exhibition-level: 16 steals, a plus-29 rebounding margin, and 40 points off turnovers.

Payton Pritchard (25 points) and Jayson Tatum (23) led the scoring, but the real story was the debuts. Paul George, the Celtics' marquee offseason addition, stuffed the stat sheet in his first outing in green — 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals — while Mitchell Robinson anchored the defense. "I was in high school, kind of modeling my game after him," Tatum said of finally sharing the floor with George. Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the newcomers' defensive impact: "They take things to another level."

Philadelphia, it should be noted, was without Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and LeBron James — but Boston's execution was midseason sharp regardless.

The champions are quiet: New York

The Knicks open the season as defending champions, and nothing that happens in October can change what they accomplished in June. Still, the preseason has been bumpy: a loss to Philadelphia in the opener, then a 122-104 defeat to Minnesota at Madison Square Garden on October 12.

There is no reason to panic — stars rest, rotations experiment, and defending champions rarely peak in exhibitions. But the contrast with Boston's intensity has been hard to miss, and it's a storyline worth monitoring into opening week.

Global showcase: Macao

The league's international footprint was on display at the Macao Global Games, where the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks split a two-game set at The Venetian Arena — Houston taking the opener 135-117 before Dallas answered 132-115. High-scoring, up-tempo basketball that gave both Texas rosters a useful stress test against quality opposition.

Portland also handled international competition emphatically, routing the visiting London Lions 119-66 at the Moda Center on October 12.

Around the league: scores and snapshots

• October 12: Timberwolves 122, Knicks 104 (MSG) · Hawks 113, Thunder 110 · Nets 131, Wizards 122 · Jazz 119, Spurs 109 · Trail Blazers 119, London Lions 66
• October 13: Trail Blazers 110, Kings 98 (Portland led by as many as 35 in Sacramento)
• October 14: Pistons 128, Timberwolves 106 (Detroit shot 57% with 64 points in the paint) · Spurs 123, Suns 103
• Earlier thrillers: Minnesota edged Miami 125-124 in a Kaseya Center shootout; Cleveland topped Orlando 119-105; Charlotte beat Milwaukee 105-90; Golden State held off Sacramento 111-106.

Young players making noise

Preseason is the season of the roster hopeful, and a few young names have stood out:

• V.J. Edgecombe (76ers, sophomore): 12 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and zero turnovers in the opener against New York, showing improved poise and rim decision-making. The jumper (0-3 from deep) remains the swing skill.
• Caleb Love (76ers): 15 points, 6 assists and 2 blocks in the same game — a two-way flash from the backcourt.
• Jabari Walker (76ers): pressed into duty at center and delivered 11 points and 11 rebounds with three triples.

Injury watch

The worst news of the preseason so far belongs to Philadelphia: center Ariel Hukporti suffered a right Achilles injury in the first quarter of the opener and did not return — a significant blow to the Sixers' frontcourt depth. Teams will be holding their breath over the final exhibition games; staying healthy now matters more than any result.

What it all means (and doesn't)

Five preseason games can't establish a hierarchy. They can expose preparation levels, though — and on that measure, Boston looks every bit the contender its roster suggests, Minnesota has intriguing momentum, and the Knicks look like a team saving its best for when the games count. With opening night six days away, rotations are nearly set and the real evaluations begin.

*This recap is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute betting advice or an official pick.*