Time for a Sunday roast in southeast London. The NBA Global Games return to England for the first time in seven years, bringing the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies onto a transcontinental stage.<\/p>\n
This is the final international date of the 2025-26 season. The league played October preseason exhibitions in Abu Dhabi, Melbourne, Vancouver and Macao. There was a Mexico City game on Nov. 1, and a Berlin game between these two teams on Thursday.<\/p>\n
How to watch Magic vs. Grizzlies (NBA London Game) Orlando took the first Global Games matchup Thursday in Berlin, winning 118-111 after a second-half rally. Really, though, it feels like the Magic could\u2019ve called game once guard Anthony Black dunked on four Grizzlies at once:<\/p>\n ANTHONY BLACK ARE YOU KIDDING ME????<\/p>\n FASTBREAK DUNK OVER FOUR (!!!!) DEFENDERS TO TAKE THE LEAD \ud83e\udd2f pic.twitter.com\/GVlzzPeB0l<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Black finished with 21 points off an efficient 13 shots. The No. 6 pick in the 2023 draft averaged just 4.6 points per game as a rookie and 9.4 last season. His 2025-26 mark is boosted to 15.8. Black\u2019s versatile teammate Paolo Banchero had a get-right game at 26 points on 9-of-16 from the field, plus 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals. And Orlando\u2019s three members of the German national team combined to score 33 in Berlin \u2014 Franz Wagner with 18, Moritz Wagner with seven and Tristan da Silva with eight.<\/p>\n Defensive anchor Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 30 points, and rising playmaker Cam Spencer had 11 assists to a sole turnover. But the Grizzlies were done in by a minus-14 third quarter and a 19-to-7 differential on the offensive glass.<\/p>\n Orlando enters the weekend at 23-18. Jamahl Mosley\u2019s team is rated 15th on offense, 11th on defense and 16th in pace. Memphis is 17-23 under Tuomas Iisalo. His Grizz are 24th in offensive rating and 13th in defensive rating, playing with the 11th-fastest pace.<\/p>\n The latest on Ja Morant<\/p>\n Ja Morant was conspicuously absent Thursday. Memphis\u2019 star point guard hasn\u2019t played since Jan. 2 due to a calf injury. He made the trip to Germany with the team, and told reporters that he would \u201chopefully<\/a>\u201d play in the Global Games. Hours after that media availability, the Grizzlies ruled Morant out for Berlin.<\/p>\n \u201cI still am holding out hope he\u2019ll be able to play when we are in London on Sunday. So yes, I\u2019m disappointed he\u2019s not on the floor tonight, but I understand he\u2019s injured,\u201d commissioner Adam Silver<\/a> said Thursday.<\/p>\n As trade rumors<\/a> swirl and jersey-swap photo edits hit timelines, the two-time All-Star is still listed as day to day. For those reading tea leaves (or Instagram feeds), Morant was vibing<\/a> as he went through a full practice Saturday. Soon after, Iisalo told reporters<\/a>\u00a0there was a \u201cgood chance\u201d Morant would play Sunday.<\/p>\n The broadcast<\/p>\n Prime Video has the streaming exclusive for national audiences. The Berlin game put established broadcaster Michael Grady on play-by-play and WNBA legend Candace Parker in analysis, with JayDee Dyer as the sideline reporter. Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash were on site for Thursday\u2019s Prime studio programming.<\/p>\n The Sunday halftime show is held down by FLO, the London-based R&B trio.<\/p>\n The festivities<\/p>\n First, here\u2019s a photo of Shaquille O\u2019Neal by Big Ben. Shaq and his Magic made their inaugural trip to London<\/a> for a preseason matchup with the Atlanta Hawks in 1993.<\/p>\n The @OrlandoMagic<\/a> returning to London just feels right \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7<\/p>\n Grizzlies VS Magic. The 02 Arena. January 18, 2026 \ud83d\udcc6 pic.twitter.com\/gH8TBtiefI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA UK (@NBAUK) August 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Current Magic players tried local delicacies, like jelly babies, Turkish delight and \u201cDairy Milk Fingers.\u201d<\/p>\n Both squads separately took a team photo on the steps of St. Paul\u2019s Cathedral. The Magic\u2019s was crashed by a little dog wearing a red coat<\/a>.<\/p>\n Morant seemed to be all smiles in the Grizzlies\u2019 photo<\/a>, while GG Jackson tried out the parlance:<\/p>\n On Saturday, Memphis players visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium<\/a> and watched the English Premier League match between Spurs and West Ham United<\/a>.<\/p>\n The histories<\/p>\n There have been nine NBA scrimmage and preseason events in the U.K., dating back to that Magic-Hawks meeting in 1993. There have also been nine previous regular-season games in London, all at the O2 Arena:<\/p>\n March 4, 2011: New Jersey Nets 116, Toronto Raptors 103 The high scorer in NBA London action is \u2026 Air Bargs. Yup, Andrea Bargnani put up 35 points in that 2011 triple-overtime marathon.<\/p>\n In 2027, the NBA will stage its first regular-season game in Manchester. October 2027 has also been circled as a \u201crealistic target<\/a>\u201d for the start of the NBA\u2019s European league. Both London and Manchester have been mentioned as possible locations for teams in the new league.<\/p>\n NBA career scoring leaders born in the U.K. Ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply.\u00a0The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.<\/p>\n
\nVenue: O2 Arena \u2014 London
\nTime: Noon ET, Sunday | 5 p.m. local
\nTV (U.S. and U.K.): Prime Video
\nWatching in person? Get tickets on StubHub<\/a>.
\nThe game<\/p>\n
\nMarch 5, 2011: New Jersey Nets 137, Toronto Raptors 136 (3OT)
\nJan. 17, 2013: New York Knicks 102, Detroit Pistons 87
\nJan. 16, 2014: Brooklyn Nets 127, Atlanta Hawks 110
\nJan. 15, 2015: Milwaukee Bucks 95, New York Knicks 79
\nJan. 14, 2016: Toronto Raptors 106, Orlando Magic 103 (OT)
\nJan. 12, 2017: Denver Nuggets 140, Indiana Pacers 112
\nJan. 11, 2018: Boston Celtics 114, Philadelphia 76ers 103
\nJan. 17, 2019: Washington Wizards 101, New York Knicks 100<\/p>\n
\nBen Gordon (2005-15): 11,084 points
\nJames Donaldson (1981-95): 8,203 points
\nOG Anunoby (2018-present): 6,846 points and counting
\nKelenna Azubuike (2007-12): 2,178 points
\nNikola Jovi\u0107 (2023-present): 1,187 points and counting<\/p>\n