NBA Night Wrap: Pistons’ 19-Point Comeback, Jaylen Brown’s 22-Point Sixers Debut Lead a Five-Game Monday

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2026 — The preseason is where the scores aren’t supposed to matter. Somebody forgot to tell Detroit. A five-game Monday night delivered a 19-point comeback capped by a rookie’s game-winner, a 22-point debut in new colors from a former Finals MVP, the first night of the post-Giannis era in Milwaukee, and a reminder that the Lakers’ new engine runs through Luka Doncic. None of it counts in the standings. All of it counts as a first look.

Pistons 109, Suns 107: the rookie takes the night

Down 19 with 8:52 left in the third quarter, the Pistons looked like a team playing out the string of an exhibition. Then the bench caught fire, the building woke up, and a rookie who hadn’t played a minute all night became the story. Detroit closed the third on a 24-5 run — capped by a contested Daniss Jenkins three to tie it at 84 — won the quarter 34-16, and completed a 35-10 second-half surge to stun the Suns 109-107 at Little Caesars Arena.

The night belonged to Ebuka Okorie. The 17th overall pick made his preseason debut with 10:05 remaining, hit the game-winning layup with 5.8 seconds to go, and then got back on defense to smother Jamaree Bouyea’s three-point attempt at the horn. Ron Holland led Detroit with 14 points; Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, John Collins and Paul Reed scored 10 apiece. The Pistons shot 37.2 percent in the first half and 54.3 percent in the second, holding Phoenix to 41.2 percent after the break. Devin Booker led the Suns with 13 points and sat the second half; newly signed Jalen Duren was a healthy scratch as Detroit continues to acclimate him following his contract standoff.

76ers 120, Knicks 97: Jaylen Brown’s first impression

Seventeen minutes. That’s all it took for Jaylen Brown to announce himself in Philadelphia. The former Finals MVP scored all 22 of his points in the first half of his 76ers debut — 8-of-13 from the field with two rebounds, two assists and a block — and sat the entire second half of a 120-97 rout of the defending champion Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Sixers did it without LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who all sat, along with Anfernee Simons (muscle tightness), Dominick Barlow (minor back), Adem Bona (left foot sprain) and Tacko Fall (left hip strain). VJ Edgecombe stuffed the box score with 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds, Caleb Love added 15 points and six assists off the bench, and Jabari Walker posted 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The Knicks went with the starting five that won the title in June — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns — in their first game since the Finals, and spent the night shaking off rust. The one real concern: Ariel Hukporti exited in the first quarter with a non-contact injury. Philadelphia led 72-58 at the half and never looked back. The rematch that counts comes October 20, when the Sixers visit the Knicks to open the regular season. What the midday preview expected

Timberwolves 116, Bucks 97: a new era opens in Milwaukee

The first game of the post-Giannis era felt like it. With Antetokounmpo traded to Miami in the offseason and rookie Nate Ament among the return, the Bucks opened new coach Taylor Jenkins’ tenure with a 116-97 loss to the new-look Timberwolves at Fiserv Forum. Minnesota’s new trio — point guard LaMelo Ball, forward Jonathan Kuminga and Anthony Edwards — combined for 33 first-half points to stake the Wolves to a 60-48 halftime lead. Milwaukee briefly grabbed the lead late in the third on five quick points from Ament, but the Timberwolves’ reserves won the fourth 35-21 and cruised.

Ryan Rollins led the Bucks with 15 points. Tyler Herro scored 11 on 3-of-9 shooting in his first game in a hometown Milwaukee jersey, Kel’el Ware posted 12 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, and Gary Trent Jr. added 11. Minnesota scored 56 points in the paint and 26 on the break. Jenkins didn’t dress it up afterward: “I would say definitely far from where we’re gonna need to be.” Giannis’ Heat debut, from Saturday

Lakers 127, Kings 103: Luka’s engine, Acuff’s arrival

The post-LeBron Lakers didn’t need long to find their identity: give the ball to Luka Doncic and get out of the way. Doncic carved up the Kings for 21 first-half points, Los Angeles opened the second quarter on a 26-2 run, and the Lakers shot 12-of-22 from three in the first half (Sacramento went 2-of-10) in a 127-103 rout at Golden 1 Center. The Kings committed 14 first-half turnovers, and the Lakers turned them into a 16-2 fast-break edge.

Sacramento’s consolation prize was real: seventh overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. scored 17 first-half points on 8-of-14 shooting in his debut, striking up an early two-man game with Domantas Sabonis and looking comfortable pulling up off screens. The Lakers did it short-handed — Walker Kessler (jammed finger), Austin Reaves (tweaked ankle), Collin Sexton and Arthur Kaluma all sat and are day-to-day. Los Angeles gets no rest: a preseason back-to-back Tuesday at Golden State, then a rematch with the Kings on October 8 at Crypto.com Arena on ESPN2. The regular season opens October 21 against the Warriors.

Grizzlies 132, Hawks 123

Memphis opened its preseason with a 132-123 win over the Hawks at State Farm Arena, surviving a strong second-half push from Atlanta. The Grizzlies move to 1-0; the Hawks fall to 0-1.

Every final: Monday’s NBA preseason slate

• Grizzlies 132, Hawks 123
• Pistons 109, Suns 107
• 76ers 120, Knicks 97
• Timberwolves 116, Bucks 97
• Lakers 127, Kings 103

The injury board

Ariel Hukporti’s non-contact first-quarter exit is the one to watch in Philadelphia — the Sixers were already sitting half their rotation. In Los Angeles, Kessler’s jammed finger and Reaves’ tweaked ankle are both considered day-to-day, and neither is expected to linger. The Knicks, meanwhile, are managing championship mileage: Jalen Brunson spent the summer in a cast after wrist tendon surgery, and Josh Hart is playing through a right ring finger that needs a joint replacement he won’t get until he retires.

On deck: Tuesday’s four-game slate

The preseason rolls on with four games Tuesday: Nets at Hornets (7 PM ET, Spectrum Center) — Charlotte’s preseason opener, with Kon Knueppel sidelined and a teased starting five of Coby White, Grayson Allen, Brandon Miller, Naz Reid and Moussa Diabate; Pelicans at Thunder (8 PM ET, BOK Center in Tulsa) — Oklahoma City is resting its high-minute guys; Nuggets at Jazz (9 PM ET, Delta Center); and Lakers at Warriors (10 PM ET, Chase Center) — a genuine preseason back-to-back for Los Angeles.