The Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, hosts the final exhibition matchup for both the San Antonio Spurs and the Sacramento Kings on Friday (16) as the Western Conference franchises complete their warm-up schedules for the 2026-27 National Basketball Association (NBA) campaign. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. local Central Time (9 p.m. Brasília time), and viewers in Brazil can watch the live broadcast exclusively on the NBA League Pass streaming platform.
Both rosters treat the contest as their fifth and final dress rehearsal before official regular-season standings begin next week. The San Antonio Spurs enter the arena holding a 1-3 exhibition record after defeating the Phoenix Suns 123-103 on Wednesday (14), following earlier losses to the Atlanta Hawks (123-116), the Phoenix Suns (102-98), and the Utah Jazz (119-109). On the opposite bench, the Sacramento Kings carry an 0-4 preseason mark after dropping consecutive games to the Los Angeles Lakers (127-103 and 114-110), the Golden State Warriors (111-106), and the Portland Trail Blazers, who beat them 110-98 on Tuesday (13). In the most recent official regular-season meeting between the two clubs on March 17, 2026, the Texas franchise earned a 132-104 road victory.
Broadcast details and tipoff schedule in San Antonio
Fans tracking the Western Conference matchup from Brazil have a single digital option to follow the action live from Texas. The league’s official subscription service carries the feed directly from the arena.
- Date: October 16, 2026
- Local arena time: 7 p.m. Central Time (America/Chicago time zone)
- Brasília time: 9 p.m. BRT
- Venue: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Competition: NBA Preseason
- Live stream in Brazil: NBA League Pass
Mitch Johnson deploys three-guard starting unit for the San Antonio Spurs
Head coach Mitch Johnson is in his second full season directing the San Antonio Spurs bench after guiding the club to the Western Conference championship and the 2025-26 NBA Finals. Throughout the current exhibition slate, the coaching staff has experimented with a perimeter-oriented starting five featuring three guards on the floor simultaneously. That opening lineup pairs guards Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and De’Aaron Fox with guard-forward Devin Vassell and center Victor Wembanyama.
During the 20-point victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday (14), San Antonio outscored its opponent in the second period to take a 60-49 halftime cushion and stretched the margin to 17 points by the close of the third quarter. Victor Wembanyama paced the starters with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals, while Stephon Castle contributed 18 points and Devin Vassell posted 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox scored 9 points apiece in their debut appearance together in the starting backcourt alongside Castle.
Second-unit contributors also produced double-digit scoring totals in that midweek win, led by second-year forward Carter Bryant with 16 points on four three-pointers and 2 blocks. Two-way contract guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 13 points with three shots from beyond the arc, and rookie center Tarris Reed Jr. pulled down a team-best 9 rebounds to go with 4 points and 3 blocks. Forward Keldon Johnson, who sat out the Wednesday contest for rest, returns to the active rotation on Friday (16).
Medical staff for the San Antonio Spurs ruled out three players prior to tipoff. Veteran forward Tobias Harris suffered a left calf strain that kept him sidelined for the entire preseason schedule, rookie power forward Jayden Quaintance remains in rehabilitation following knee surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus damage, and rookie forward Maliq Brown is out with back soreness.
Doug Christie weighs workload and lengthy injury report for the Sacramento Kings
Retained as head coach of the Sacramento Kings for the 2026-27 campaign, Doug Christie faces a crowded status report after resting eight regular rotation players during Tuesday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. In that contest, power forward Keegan Murray was the sole projected starter in uniform, recording 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting across 19 minutes in his second preseason appearance following a training camp ankle issue.
Sacramento’s projected primary lineup consists of point guard Ben Simmons, rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr., shooting guard Zach LaVine, power forward Keegan Murray, and center Domantas Sabonis. However, Ben Simmons, Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis are all listed as questionable to take the court in San Antonio, sharing that uncertain status with reserve guards Malik Monk, forwardDe’Andre Hunter, and forward-center Precious Achiuwa, who is managing an ankle ailment.
Doug Christie addressed the challenge of balancing physical recovery with on-court preparation ahead of next week’s regular-season opener. “We want to compete; we want to build chemistry. Health, muscle soreness, workload, we have to manage all of that at the same time. It is a delicate balance. We have to create chemistry, but at the same time, we need to be smart,” the coach stated. Two centers are already confirmed out for at least two weeks: Maxime Raynaud, who sustained a right knee patellar subluxation against the Golden State Warriors on October 10, 2026, and Dylan Cardwell, who is recovering from a calf injury.
Video review rules and officiating assignments
Up until publication, the league office had not released the officiating crew assigned to work the floor at the Frost Bank Center, as the NBA routinely announces referee designations on the day of each game. Unlike international soccer competitions that rely on a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and enforce accumulations of yellow cards for suspensions, NBA games utilize the centralized NBA Replay Center in
Secaucus, New Jersey, to assist on-court officials with instant replay reviews of clock malfunctions, flagrant fouls, and out-of-bounds triggers.Recent head-to-head numbers and regular-season openers
When the two franchises last met in official competition during the 2025-26 regular season, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Sacramento Kings 132-104 in California. Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson each scored 18 points for the visiting Texas squad in that game, while center Maxime Raynaud led all scorers with 32 points for Sacramento.
Once Friday’s exhibition concludes, both teams turn their attention to the opening week of the 82-game 2026-27 regular season. The San Antonio Spurs remain at the Frost Bank Center to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday (20). The Sacramento Kings travel to Southern California for their official debut on Wednesday (21) against the Los Angeles Clippers.