Home > NBA Preseason Roundup (Oct 5, 2026): Clippers Hold Off Warriors, Jazz Beat Nuggets, Injury Concerns Grow League-Wide

NBA Preseason Roundup (Oct 5, 2026): Clippers Hold Off Warriors, Jazz Beat Nuggets, Injury Concerns Grow League-Wide

2026-10-06

The 2026-27 NBA preseason continued to deliver compelling on-court action while injury headlines dominated the conversation as teams fine-tune rotations ahead of the regular season tip-off.

The Utah Jazz defeated the Denver Nuggets 109-97 in their preseason matchup. Lauri Markkanen led all Jazz scorers with 17 points. Keyonte George added 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, while Blake Hinson chipped in 14 points to fuel Utah’s balanced offensive attack.

For Denver, Julian Strawther topped the Nuggets box score with 14 points and Aaron Gordon scored 12. Two-time MVP Nikola Jokić saw limited minutes, finishing with 3 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists. His minus-12 plus-minus marked the lowest on the Nuggets roster, a minor preseason footnote for the Serbian star, who is on a minutes management plan through exhibition play.

Across the country, the Los Angeles Clippers edged out the Golden State Warriors 104-101 in a tightly contested preseason tilt. Rui Hachimura had a standout performance for the Clippers, dropping 21 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting alongside 5 rebounds. Darius Garland posted 15 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists, and Keaton Wagler scored 15 points with 6 rebounds, knocking down a crucial late jump shot to seal the narrow Clippers win.

Stephen Curry had a quiet outing for Golden State with 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Usman Bassey scored 12 points and Brandon Williams added 11 points for the Warriors bench.

The Clippers’ victory was quickly overshadowed by a concerning injury update. Max Strus exited the game after just 4 minutes and 50 seconds with a right foot injury. The Clippers are already navigating a lengthy injury list entering the preseason, including Brandon Ingram (partial right Achilles tear), Bradley Beal (right knee inflammation), Jaylin Niedehauser recovering from post-surgery rehab for a right foot tarsometatarsal injury, and Jordan Miller recovering from shoulder rotator cuff surgery.

Over in San Antonio, Spurs beat writer reports confirmed new addition Tobias Harris suffered a left calf strain during training camp. Harris, who inked a two-year, $31 million contract with San Antonio this offseason, will be re-evaluated after preseason play concludes, and his availability for the October 21 regular-season opener remains uncertain. Harris has a history of left calf issues, prompting the Spurs medical staff to take a cautious approach to his recovery.

League-wide, several major offseason trades continue to shape the narrative for the 2026-27 campaign. Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat this summer and made his Heat preseason debut on October 4 versus the Toronto Raptors. Kawhi Leonard also switched teams, leaving the Clippers to join the Raptors and debuting for Toronto on October 4.

Stephen Curry has restructured his contract to create additional salary cap flexibility for Golden State heading into next summer. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr publicly praised Curry for his selfless, team-first mentality with the restructure.

LeBron James officially joined the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year $8 million minimum contract, accepting a massive pay cut from his prior deal. The all-time scoring leader is scheduled to make his 76ers preseason debut on October 6.

With the regular season rapidly approaching, franchises are balancing preseason evaluation, load management for veteran stars, and injury monitoring as they prepare for opening night.

The NBA preseason is underway, serving as a warm-up for the regular season. While keeping up with the latest game updates, why not take a look at this website: https://newsheet.net/hot? It features a vast array of products—ranging from branded sneakers and luxury handbags to electronics and watches—designed to meet the diverse shopping needs of all kinds of consumers. Each item is clearly listed with its name, product code, and price.

https://newsheet.net/hot