The second week of NBA preseason featured three distinct storylines. In Oklahoma City, Aday Mara turned heads again: 22 points without missing a single shot in just one half. In Iowa and Portland, two stars returned to the court 15 months after suffering Achilles injuries: Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard. And in the Trail Blazers' debut, Ja Morant played his first game with his new team.
Bucks 128-126 Thunder: Mara, 10 of 10
The Thunder lost in the final moments, but the spotlight belonged to the Spanish forward. In his second preseason game, Aday Mara posted 22 points on a perfect 10 of 10 from the field, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. Just a day earlier, he had scored 12 points without a miss against the Pelicans. He's now 15 of 15 from the field in his first two games with the Thunder.
Mark Daigneault continued to distribute minutes carefully. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams did not play, and most starters rested in the second half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who sat out the previous night, scored 17 points on a perfect 5 of 5 in the first half, Jalen Williams added 16, and fellow rookie Bennett Stirtz, who only played the second half, scored 20.
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Pacers 123-112 Timberwolves: Haliburton Returns After 472 Days
The last time Tyrese Haliburton had played an NBA game was on June 22, 2025, in Game 7 of the Finals against the Thunder, when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury. 472 days later, he returned to action in a game played in Ames, at Iowa State University's arena, where he played college basketball. He spent 16 minutes on the court and posted 7 points (3 of 8 from the field), 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. In Indiana, they're celebrating it as a "very encouraging" performance.
The Pacers won convincingly over the Timberwolves, who debuted LaMelo Ball alongside Anthony Edwards. The standout for Indianapolis was Jarace Walker, with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 10 assists.
Trail Blazers-Warriors: Lillard Returns Home and Morant Debuts
In Portland, the night featured a double debut. Damian Lillard returned to the team of his life and to an NBA court for the first time since April 27, 2025, when he suffered an Achilles injury playing for the Bucks. He responded with 15 points (5 of 11 and three 3-pointers) and 2 steals. Alongside him, Ja Morant made his debut after arriving this summer from Memphis: 8 points, 5 assists and 2 steals. The Trail Blazers, with Micah Nori in his first game as head coach, led 57-50 at halftime and ended up defeating the Warriors 118-123.
Bulls 124-117 Suns: Caleb Wilson Makes His Debut
The No. 4 pick in the latest Draft, Caleb Wilson, made his debut with the Bulls with 15 points, though on a 6 of 15 shooting night and 0 of 4 from three-point range. Matas Buzelis added 14, Tobe Awaka posted a double-double (14 points and 11 rebounds) and Josh Giddey distributed 7 assists. The Suns, making their preseason debut, continued to feel the weight of their injuries.