Kyrie Irving will play in just one of two preseason games in Macao as Dallas meets Houston at the Venetian Arena, starting at 8 pm tonight
Mavericks and Rockets open the NBA China Games in Macao
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The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets open the NBA China Games 2026 at the Venetian Arena in Macao tonight, 9 October, starting at 8 pm local time. It is the Rockets’ first preseason game, and the two teams meet again on 11 October at 6 pm.
The big question for Dallas is how much Kyrie Irving plays. He has been cleared after a knee injury, but Mavericks coach Dusty May has said Irving will play in only one of the two games in Macao, without saying which. Cooper Flagg is projected to start alongside PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford and Max Christie, while centre Dereck Lively is out with a foot injury.
[See more: All you need to know about the SJM Macao Open 2026]
The Houston Rockets are projected to start Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith and Fred VanVleet. VanVleet missed all of last season with an injured knee and has been cleared, although his workload is expected to be managed early in the season.
The Rockets won 52 games in each of the last two seasons but lost in the first round both times, and coach Ime Udoka wants more from this year’s team. Dallas is looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since the run to the 2024 Finals.
NBA TV is showing the game, and the Mavericks are streaming both games on their website. NBA House, the fan festival at the Cotai Expo in the Venetian, is open to the public until Sunday.
