Scheduled
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
2026-27 · Regular season
Miami Heat lead the 2026-27 preseason in scoring at 128.0 points a game
The Heat topped the preseason at 128.0 points a game, the unbeaten Celtics won by 18.8 a night, and Portland allowed the fewest points.
In this article
The Miami Heat scored more than anyone in the 2026-27 preseason, averaging 128.0 points over five games. They also gave up 122.4 a night, the second-highest total in the league, so the cleaner sign of a ready team came from Boston: the Celtics went 4-0 and won by an average of 18.8 points, the best margin of the exhibition schedule.
Miami reached 124 points or more four times. The high point was a 144-128 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday, October 14 (Game Center), after a 129-105 opener at Toronto and a 128-118 home win over New Orleans. The Heat dropped a 125-124 decision to Minnesota and closed with a 136-115 loss at Orlando. The scoring was spread around: Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 15.7 points in 18.6 minutes over three games, Andrew Wiggins added 14.2, and Ryan Conwell, the only Heat player to appear in all five, chipped in 13.0. As a team Miami shot 48.6 percent from the field and averaged 32 assists.
The preseason scoring top 10
The table counts all 67 preseason games on the WhyNBA scoreboard, from Saturday, October 3 through Friday, October 16, overtime included. Every NBA team played at least three games, so all 30 qualify. PPG is points scored per game, OPP is points allowed per game, and Margin is the average point differential.
| Rank | Team | PPG | OPP | Margin | Record | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Heat | 128.0 | 122.4 | +5.6 | 3-2 | 5 |
| 2 | Boston Celtics | 126.8 | 108.0 | +18.8 | 4-0 | 4 |
| 3 | Brooklyn Nets | 124.2 | 116.0 | +8.2 | 3-1 | 4 |
| 4 | Orlando Magic | 123.8 | 117.0 | +6.8 | 3-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Atlanta Hawks | 122.6 | 117.2 | +5.4 | 4-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Toronto Raptors | 122.4 | 116.8 | +5.6 | 2-3 | 5 |
| 7 | Houston Rockets | 122.0 | 112.7 | +9.3 | 2-1 | 3 |
| 7 | Chicago Bulls | 122.0 | 114.8 | +7.2 | 3-2 | 5 |
| 9 | Indiana Pacers | 119.8 | 118.2 | +1.5 | 1-3 | 4 |
| 10 | Detroit Pistons | 118.5 | 113.0 | +5.5 | 3-1 | 4 |
Boston’s margin, Portland’s defense and the other end of the list
Boston’s run included a 144-106 home rout of Philadelphia on Saturday, October 10 (Game Center) and a 125-120 overtime win in the rematch on Friday. Jayson Tatum averaged 21.0 points in his two appearances, and Hugo Gonzalez averaged 14.5 across all four games.
The Portland Trail Blazers allowed the fewest points, 102.5 a game, but that number leans on a 119-66 exhibition win over the London Lions. Against NBA opponents alone, Portland gave up 114.7. The Utah Jazz (103.8) and Golden State Warriors (106.3, over six games, tied for the most) followed.
At the bottom, the Charlotte Hornets averaged just 96.5 points while going 1-3, and the New York Knicks allowed a league-worst 124.2, a figure dragged up by a 148-98 loss at Toronto. Preseason rotations change by the quarter, so none of these numbers carries into the standings.
What comes next
The Celtics open the regular season at the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, October 20 (Game Center). The Heat host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET (Game Center). Team numbers for the games that count will build on the team stats and standings pages.
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