2024-25 NBA preseason

The NBA preseason games are in full flow, and there have been lots of games that have thrilled the fans. There are many fascinating games going on, but in this article, we’ll take a closer look at three games:

  1. Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks
  2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
  3. Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors.

We’ll provide you with a brief highlight of the game, key performances, and key stats. Let’s dive in.

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‍10/11 Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks: 107-102

The Utah Jazz beat the Dallas Mavericks by a score line of 107-102 in their preseason warm match at the stunning American Airlines Center in Dallas. This was the Mavericks' second game of preseason after losing the first one, while the Jazz had already won both their games. Many eyes were on this game as it saw the much-awaited debut of Klay Thompson after joining the Dallas Mavericks from the Golden State Warriors.

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Thompson's debut with Dallas

The Mavericks started on a positive note with Irving and Thompson combining well, but despite this, Jazz ended the first quarter with a 24-18 lead. The Mavericks were more aggressive in the second quarter but ended up trailing 60-47 at the end of the first half. Lauri Markkanen's scoring charge led Jazz to a 73-54 lead in the third quarter. Daniel Gafford pushed hard for the Mavericks, but Jazz managed to always have a comfortable lead, winning the game 107-102.

Klay Thompson had a good start with his new teammates as he defended strongly and made some nice passes. He finished with 10 points overall with 3 assists, including setting up Dereck Lively for a Dunk.

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Key Players: Markkanen, Collier, Gafford, Collins, Irving

Lauri Markkanen was the best player for the Utah Jazz, top scoring with an impressive 26 points. His points total included 7 rebounds and 1 assist.

Isaiah Collier of Utah made 7 assists, showing his passing range and vision to spot players in good areas.

Mavericks power forward Daniel Gafford was the highest point scorer for the team with 15 points, putting in a solid performance despite only playing 18 minutes. His tally included 7 rebounds and 1 assist.

John Collins (Jazz) and Kyrie Irving (Mavericks) also had a decent match chipping in with good performances.

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10/11 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks: 107-102

In another key preseason game, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 107-102 at the beautiful Fiserv Forum arena. It was a game between two sides who are yet to win, with Milwaukee losing their first two games while the Lakers lost their first game as well.

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Lakers shock the Bucks in 4th Quarter

Rui Hachimura got the Lakers off to a good start with two dunks to give them the lead, but Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 points in the first half to give them a lead of 58-52. Milwaukee continued their dominance in the third quarter, with A.J. Green and Pat Connaughton hitting 3-pointers to maintain their lead. Everything looked to be going in the direction of the Bucks, but the Lakers had something up their sleeves. Off the bench came point guard Quincy Olivari and shooting guard Dalton Knecht to turn the tables and shock the Bucks late on, with the game ending in favor of the Lakers 107-102.

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Key Players: Antetokounmpo, Portis, Lebron James, Davis, Johnson

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a first half to remember, scoring 20 points to set the pace for the Bucks. His tally included 7 rebounds and 2 assists.

Bobby Portis Jr. played for only 15 minutes but ended up with the highest points with 23. He scored 4 of 5 three-pointers and 7 of 8 from the field overall.

Lebron James, the star man for the Lakers, featured for just 16 minutes, scoring 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Anthony Davis for the Lakers and AJ Johnson for the Bucks had good stints during the game.

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10/12 Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors: 106-109

One of the most followed teams in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors played the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center on Saturday, beating them 109-106. Warriors have already played the Kings in preseason, defeating them.

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Steph Curry suffered an injury

Golden State Warriors main man Steph Curry suffered an injury in the second quarter of the first half and could add only 6 points. Moses Moody was in full form, and Draymond Green was strong in defense, helping the Warriors take a 34-30 lead at the end of the first quarter. De'Aaron Fox and Keegan Murray led the comeback for the Kings, scoring heavily, and by the end of the third quarter, it was the Kings in the lead, 84-81. Coach Kerr made some changes, and in true Warriors style, they came in the last quarter with Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield helping them win 109-106.

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Key Players: Moody, Fox, Kuminga, Murray, DeRozan 

Moses Moody of the Warriors was easily the best player on the court, and it showed as he top scored with 23 points, leading the Warriors' attack. His total included two 3-pointers and 7 field goals.

De'Aaron Fox played well for the Kings, scoring 19 points. He moved well and had good understanding with his teammates and got three assists to his name.

Warriors’s power forward Jonathon Kuminga was another standout player, as he added 19 points, chipping in some vital contributions in the Warriors' victory.

Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan of Kings put in good performances, each scoring 17 and 16 points, respectively.

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Conclusion

Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors notched up impressive wins in their respective preseason games. Though it would be foolish to read too much into the results, the strategies and tactics employed in these games will be studied and will be used in the NBA regular season. Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks would have ideally preferred a win, but they will be upbeat by their performances. The results of all the games were close, which suggests there’s not much difference between the teams.

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