Thursday Night Showdown: Top Contenders Face off in TNT Doubleheader

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The second-to-last day of the 2024-25 preseason delivers a packed seven-game slate, highlighted by a star-studded doubleheader on TNT.

Bucks at Mavericks (7:30 ET, TNT): Could we see Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson on the floor together for the first time in the Mavs’ preseason finale as they host Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks in Dallas?

Dallas Duo: While Irving (1 game played) and Thompson (2 games played) made their preseason debuts last Thursday, Doncic has yet to suit up for Dallas due to a left calf contusionBest Vs. Best? The matchup could feature two of the best players at their position, according to the NBA GM Survey, as Doncic was voted the league’s best point guard (37% of votes), while Antetokounmpo was voted the top power forward (77%)Scoring Spotlight: Through two preseason games, Giannis is averaging 22.0 ppg — tied with Coby White for the most in the NBA — while Jaden Hardy leads Dallas with 16.3 ppgMavs All-Access:

Go courtside for Mavs training camp where Luka gets the best of Dereck Lively II on the defensive end and playfully lets him hear about it

Lakers at Suns (10 ET, TNT): In a matchup featuring two of the league’s greatest scorers, LeBron James and the Lakers will visit the Valley to face Kevin Durant and the Suns for an early regular season preview.

Rematch: In its first preseason game on Oct. 6, Phoenix beat Los Angeles 118-114, with Devin Booker (12 pts) and Bradley Beal (11 pts) combining for 23 points in the 1st halfJust The Beginning: This is the second of four October matchups between Los Angeles and Phoenix. They’ll meet in eight days for a regular-season bout on Oct. 25 and then face off again on Oct. 28What The GMs Think: According to the GM Survey, the Lakers’ level of success this season is the toughest to predict among all 30 teams (17% of votes), while the Suns’ is the fourth-hardest to predict (10%)Rooks On A Roll:

Los Angeles’ No. 17 overall pick, Dalton Knecht (13.8 ppg), is second on the team in scoring through four games, while the Suns’ No. 28 overall pick, Ryan Dunn (11.0 ppg), joins Durant (15.0), Beal (13.3) and Booker (11.0) as Phoenix’s top scorers