Five matchups tip off Monday night, and the NBA preseason games tonight offer the first real looks at LeBron’s Sixers and Doncic’s Lakers
By the GridironHoops Analysis Desk | Monday, Oct. 5, 2026
| Matchup | Tip-off (ET) | Local time | Venue | Where to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies at Atlanta Hawks | 7:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. ET | State Farm Arena, Atlanta | DAZN (Memphis local), Atlanta local |
| Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons | 7:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. ET | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit | Local: Suns+/3TV (Phoenix), WMYD (Detroit) |
| New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers | 7:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. ET | Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia | NBA TV, MSG, NBC Sports Philadelphia+ |
| Minnesota Timberwolves at Milwaukee Bucks | 8:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. CT | Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee | DAZN, Bucks+ |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings | 10:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. PT | Golden 1 Center, Sacramento | NBA TV |
A note before we start: teams are not required to publish official injury reports in the preseason, so availability tags below reflect what was reported as of Monday and can change before tip-off. Check each team’s official channels about an hour before the game.
Sunday’s openers set the tone. Utah beat Denver 109-97 in Boulder, and the Clippers beat Golden State 104-101 in Honolulu on a late jumper from rookie Keaton Wagler. Now the rest of the league gets its turn, with the regular season opening Tuesday, Oct. 20.
NBA Preseason 101: Rules, Roster Limits and Why the Games Don’t Count
1. Memphis Grizzlies at Atlanta Hawks | 7 p.m. ET
The storyline: Two teams with new identities. Atlanta went 46-36 last season and pushed the eventual champion Knicks in the playoffs, then spent the summer adding defenders: Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins from Oklahoma City and Dorian Finney-Smith from Charlotte. Memphis is in a post-Ja Morant era after trading him to Portland and is leaning on veteran Jerami Grant and Kris Murray while it sorts out its offense.
Players to watch:
- Jalen Johnson (Hawks): The team’s first-time All-Star averaged 7.9 assists and 10.3 rebounds a year ago and is the centerpiece of Atlanta’s rebuild.
- Dyson Daniels and Luguentz Dort (Hawks): Watch how the two defenders share the floor on the perimeter.
- Jerami Grant (Grizzlies): The veteran scorer will carry much of the early load.
Injury watch: Atlanta’s Mouhamed Gueye (foot) is reported doubtful into mid-October, and rookie Henri Veesaar (torn ACL) is out for the season. Memphis has a long doubtful list, including Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr., Walter Clayton Jr., Micah Peavy and Karim Lopez, so expect heavy bench minutes.
Our read: Atlanta has the better-organized roster. The game is mostly a question of how much creation Memphis can find without Morant.
2. Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons | 7 p.m. ET
The storyline: Detroit was one of the NBA’s best defensive teams last season, ranking third in points allowed at 109.6 per game, and Cade Cunningham (23.9 points, 9.9 assists) is the engine. The Pistons added shooter Isaiah Joe and lost Tobias Harris to San Antonio. Phoenix traded for Miles Bridges, added Luke Kennard and Pat Spencer, and sent Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale to Charlotte.
Players to watch:
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons): Playmaking with new shooting around him.
- Isaiah Joe (Pistons): How his catch-and-shoot gravity changes spacing.
- Devin Booker (Suns): He averaged 26.1 points last season and still sets the offensive tone.
- Miles Bridges (Suns): His driving frequency and defensive effort in a new uniform.
Injury watch: Phoenix big man Mark Williams (shoulder) is reported out into early February, which puts weight on the frontcourt. Duop Reath (foot) and CJ Huntley (hamstring) are listed as doubtful. Detroit’s Jalen Duren is also listed as doubtful on pregame sheets, which could be a contract-related or availability flag rather than an injury.
Our read: Detroit’s defense should travel. Phoenix’s question is how it closes games without a rim protector.
3. New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers | 7 p.m. ET
The storyline: The marquee game of the night. The reigning champion Knicks visit a rebuilt Philadelphia team that now features LeBron James and Jaylen Brown alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and second-year guard VJ Edgecombe. This is a preview of the teams’ regular-season opener, a Tuesday, Oct. 20 game at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET.
Players to watch:
- LeBron James (Sixers): A possible first game in a Philadelphia uniform. Coach Nick Nurse has said he wants his starters on the floor in the preseason, but how long they play is uncertain.
- Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey (Sixers): Both scored more than 28 points per game last season. How they share the ball is the key early question.
- Joel Embiid (Sixers): He reportedly looked more mobile in a Saturday scrimmage than he has in recent seasons.
- Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks): New York’s core is mostly intact, but Mitchell Robinson left for Boston and Andre Drummond signed from Philadelphia.
Injury watch: Philadelphia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (finger) and Adem Bona (foot) are reported doubtful. New York’s Drew Eubanks (thumb) and Mohamed Diawara (finger) carry the same tag.
Our read: Expect a short night for the stars. The real information is how Nurse arranges four high-usage players, and whether the starters share the floor at all.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves at Milwaukee Bucks | 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
The storyline: Two teams with new faces at the top. Milwaukee traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami and received Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis. Minnesota paired Anthony Edwards with LaMelo Ball, who arrived from Charlotte, and added Jonathan Kuminga in free agency.
Players to watch:
- LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves): Edwards averaged 28.8 points last season, third in the league. The pick-and-roll volume between them will be telling.
- Kel’el Ware (Bucks): A rim runner who could be the featured big in Milwaukee.
- Tyler Herro (Bucks): The new offensive centerpiece.
Injury watch: Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo is out after Achilles surgery, with a return listed for April 2027. Milwaukee’s Herro (foot) and Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) are reported doubtful, so the Bucks may lean on younger players.
Our read: Minnesota has the more established star power. This is a good game to watch Ball and Edwards share the court for the first time.
5. Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings | 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
The storyline: The Lakers play their first preseason game of the post-LeBron era. Luka Doncic, last season’s scoring leader at 33.5 points per game, and Austin Reaves (23.3) lead the group, with Walker Kessler, acquired from Utah, anchoring the paint. Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes joined in free agency. Sacramento lost DeMar DeRozan to Denver and added rookies Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr.
Players to watch:
- Luka Doncic (Lakers): Coach JJ Redick has said Doncic will play in the preseason, though the goal is rhythm, not heavy minutes.
- Walker Kessler (Lakers): His first game in a Lakers uniform and a big piece of the defensive plan.
- Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes (Lakers): Both are competing for starting jobs, which Redick has called “up for grabs.”
- Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. (Kings): The rookies get an early look as Sacramento reshapes its guard rotation.
Injury watch: No official injury tags had been published for this game at the time of writing. The Lakers are on the front end of a back-to-back, with a Tuesday night game at Golden State and three games in four days, so full-strength lineups are unlikely in every game.
Our read: Treat this as a rotation audition. The Lakers’ starting lineup will not be set, and Sacramento’s rookies are the main source of intrigue.
Three storylines across the slate
- Superteams and new alliances. Between LeBron and Brown in Philadelphia, Giannis in Miami, Ball in Minnesota and Morant in Portland, this is one of the most reshuffled preseasons in recent memory. Tonight is the first chance to see several of those combinations in person.
- Stars on a leash. Expect starters to play 12 to 20 minutes at most, and some may sit. Coaches want rhythm, not heavy workloads.
- Roster-spot battles. Rosters can carry 21 players until the Oct. 19 cutdown to 15, so a large share of tonight’s minutes will go to players fighting for the last spot.
What to remember
Preseason results do not count in the standings, so a loss tonight means nothing for the season record. The lasting value is in the information: who looks healthy, which rotations stick and how new pieces fit.
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