NBA Night: Mara Protects the Rim as Kawhi Leonard Returns to the Raptors

Aday Mara doesn't need many minutes to make an impact. The Aragonese center came off the bench in the Oklahoma City Thunder's penultimate preseason game and posted 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in the overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers (114-112). In Oklahoma, they already see him as the best preseason story for the Thunder: a center who protects the rim and fits into a secondary role without forcing anything. Without Chet Holmgren, who didn't play, Mara had a clearer opportunity to showcase himself.

The game also had special significance for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton returned to the Paycom Center for the first time since rupturing his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals, precisely on that court. He responded with 24 points and 3 assists in the first half. The Pacers led 33-25 after the first quarter, but a 27-9 run led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams made it 59-61 at halftime. A hook shot by Brooks Barnhizer made it 100-98 with 35 seconds left, Kobe Brown tied it with a layup after being fouled and missed the free throw. In overtime, Zhaire Smith scored seven points, including the shot that decided the game. Jared McCain was the Thunder's leading scorer with 20 points and 6 three-pointers.

Also read:

• Aday Mara Makes Perfect Debut with Thunder at 5-of-5
• NBA Preseason: Aday Mara, Haliburton and Lillard
• NBA Preseason Recap: Jokic and Harden

Kawhi Leonard Comes Home

In Toronto, the night belonged to Kawhi Leonard. The small forward returned to wearing a Raptors jersey, with whom he won the championship in 2019, following his trade from the Clippers this summer. He started, played limited minutes and scored 21 points on 4-of-8 from three-point range. The opposition didn't help much: the Knicks left four of their five starters at home and lost 148-98, their fourth loss in four preseason games. The Raptors won the first quarter 42-22 and there was no contest. RJ Barrett, a former Knicks player, added 17 points.

Warriors Rally in Las Vegas

At the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the Lakers dominated the first half with Austin Reaves scoring 23 of his 28 points. They led 63-50 at halftime. Afterward, the Golden State Warriors, without Draymond Green or Al Horford, tightened up on defense: they held the Lakers to 13 points in each of the final two quarters and won the second half 51-26. Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg each scored 17 points, and Stephen Curry finished with 11 on 3-of-9 shooting. Final: 101-89.

Banchero and Wagner Dominate the Cavaliers

The Orlando Magic cruised past the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Kia Center (132-116). Paolo Banchero scored 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting and Franz Wagner added 20 points and 8 assists. For the Cavaliers, James Harden finished with 13 points on 3-of-12 shooting, while young Meleek Thomas was the standout with 16 points, 14 of them in the fourth quarter. Cleveland closes the preseason with a 1-2 record.

Trail Blazers Remain Undefeated

The Portland Trail Blazers won in Sacramento (98-110) and improved to 3-0 in the preseason. Deni Avdija scored 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, and Damian Lillard and Ja Morant each contributed 14 points with no turnovers. Lillard finished with a +32 plus-minus. The Trail Blazers already led 66-39 at halftime.

Results of the Night