Grizzlies beat Magic as NBA returns to London

In their first regular-season game to be played in London since 2019, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Orlando Magic 126-109.

The O2 Arena at London’s O2 Arena was filled with famous faces, including footballers Virgil van Dijk and Declan Rice, Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli, and actress Rosamund Pike, who also enjoys stardom.

Before the game, American singer Vanessa Williams sang the US national anthem, but a heckler yelled “leave Greenland alone” during her performance.

Williams continued to be unfazed despite the crowd’s applause for the remark.

Donald Trump, the president of the US, announced that if eight of his European allies, including the United Kingdom, opposed his proposed takeover of Greenland, he would impose tariffs on them.

NBA legend Tony Parker and former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry were also present close to the Orlando bench throughout the game.

The crowd occasionally cheered Henry and Pike up, creating an atmosphere akin to an American game. If the match had been more evenly played, the atmosphere might have been even better.

When the camera switched to Marcelo, a former Real Madrid and Brazil footballer, the mayor of London, was shown on screen and immediately greeted a loud boos.

The Grizzlies, who have struggled for consistency this season, dominated the first half and had a 17-point lead late in the second quarter.

From there, the score differential gradually decreased over the final three quarters, and the Magic’s chances of a comeback were diminished by the Grizzlies.

When Ja Morant recovered from an ankle sprain that caused him to miss six games, the Grizzlies were inspired by him. Before the tip-off, the crowd cheered his name and gave him the most ovation.

In the first half, Morant scored 20 points, with 15 of those scored in the second half.

He played for 28 minutes while only making a limited appearance on his return, where team-mate Jock Landale added 21 points from the bench.

In a 36-minute period, team-mate Paolo Banchero added 16 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists for the Magic with Wendell Carter Jr.

The Magic defeated the Grizzles 118-111 on Thursday in Berlin, making it the second half of a double-header between the two teams.

“I believe all players should actually want to come and have the opportunity to play here and experience everything the Magic and We did this week,” Morant said.

We were here, and I’m glad everyone had a great time, said Jaren Jackson Jr. of his Grizzlies team.

The NBA’s two-game absence from Europe is over with a victory for Memphis in London.

Manchester will host its first regular-season game in 2027, joining Paris for a double-header in January 2027. In 2028, Paris and Berlin will both host matches.

The NBA plans to establish a self-contained European league in the future, which could begin its 2027-28 campaign. Discussions are currently raging with potential investors, sponsors, and stakeholders regarding how that might look.

EuroLeague, the continent’s primary club competition, has resisted the NBA.

Should any current EuroLeague clubs object to joining a new division, EuroLeague has threatened to sue the NBA with legal action.

Both Real Madrid and Alba Berlin participated in the EuroLeague last year. Alba Berlin withdrew from the competition after 24 years at the start of this season despite Real Madrid remaining a EuroLeague team. Both are reportedly open to joining NBA Europe.