The New York Knicks beat the Toronto Raptors 122-120 and the Houston Rockets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-89 in preseason games summarised by NBA's October 16 Starting 5 newsletter. Neither result belongs to the regular-season standings.
Kolek supplies the late difference
Tyler Kolek hit the go-ahead three-pointer with less than a minute remaining at Madison Square Garden. Toronto had a final opportunity to tie, but Pacome Dadiet stopped Jaden Bradley's drive.
Jalen Brunson scored 20 for New York. Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 23, while RJ Barrett added 21 points and eight rebounds.
That finish explains the two-point margin without turning it into a playoff or regular-season victory.
Houston spreads its scoring
Six Rockets reached double figures in the 27-point win. Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 15 through five three-pointers, while Alperen Sengun supplied 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
Jalen Williams had 18 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 17 for Oklahoma City. Those numbers describe this preparation game rather than guaranteed production in the coming campaign.
The NBA schedules the regular-season start for October 20. Rotation experiments and playing-time decisions therefore remain part of the preseason context.
New York's close win and Houston's larger victory are established, while official season records will depend on competitive fixtures still ahead.