NBA Preseason Reveals: Cooper Flagg Shines in Macao and Giannis Antetokounmpo Debuts for Miami

Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg averaged 25.8 points and 7.8 assists in two China Games exhibitions while Jayson Tatum posted 23 points in his Celtics return.

Ben Golliver of ESPN reports that Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg averaged 25.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per 36 minutes during two exhibition games against the Rockets in Macao. Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, shot under 30% from three-point range during his rookie year but recorded over one steal and one block per game in the recent China Games series.

In Boston, Jayson Tatum scored 23 points in 27 minutes during his preseason debut following a May 2025 Achilles tear. The Celtics are integrating new additions Paul George and Mitchell Robinson while playing without Jaylen Brown. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat debuted Giannis Antetokounmpo, who joined the team following a 13-year tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks. Antetokounmpo led an up-tempo offense in an exhibition win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Other notable performances included Brooklyn's Egor Demin finishing a layup over Joel Embiid during a win against the 76ers. Houston point guard Fred VanVleet returned from a knee injury to record 17 points and seven assists on 12 three-point attempts against Dallas. In Memphis, 7-foot-3 center Zach Edey tallied 10 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes during a victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Transaction and injury news shaped several rosters ahead of the October 2026 tipoff. The Detroit Pistons signed Jalen Duren to a five-year, $200 million extension on Oct. 1, while the Golden State Warriors signed Brandin Podziemski to a five-year, $110 million rookie extension. The Charlotte Hornets played without 2025 No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, following the team's trade of LaMelo Ball to Minnesota.