Grizzlies beat Magic as NBA returns to London

The Memphis Grizzlies cruised to a 126-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in the first NBA regular-season match to be hosted in London since 2019.

As part of the stardom that the NBA attracts, courtside at London’s O2 Arena was full of famous faces, including footballers Virgil van Dijk and Declan Rice, Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli and actress Rosamund Pike.

American singer Vanessa Williams sung the US national anthem before the game but during her performance a heckler shouted “leave Greenland alone”.

The remark drew some applause from the crowd but Williams continued unfazed.

It comes after US President Donald Trump said he would impose tariffs on eight European allies, including the United Kingdom, if they oppose his proposed takeover of Greenland.

Trump insists the autonomous Danish territory is critical for US security and has not ruled out taking it by force – a move that has drawn widespread criticism.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was also courtside in close proximity to the Orlando bench throughout the match, alongside NBA legend Tony Parker.

Both Henry and Pike received cheers from the crowd in atmosphere akin to that of an American game at times. The atmosphere might have been even better if it had been a more even contest.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was shown on screen, met with a huge chorus of boos, which quickly turned to cheers when the camera switched to show former Real Madrid and Brazil footballer Marcelo.

Before tip-off, NBA greats John Amaechi and Steve Nash both addressed the crowd, with Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama, of the Magic and Grizzlies respectively, also thanking the fans for their support.

The Grizzlies, who have struggled for consistency this season, dominated the early stages and led by 17 points late in the first quarter.

From there it became an even contest, with the score difference varying little in the last three quarters and the Magic’s hopes of a fightback limited by the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies were inspired by star point guard Ja Morant on his return from an ankle sprain that resulted in him missing six matches. His name received the loudest cheer from the crowd before the tip-off.

Morant put up 20 points in the first half, 15 of which came in the second quarter.

He was only due to make a limited appearance on his return but played for 28 minutes as he scored 24 points, with team-mate Jock Landale adding 21 from the bench.

Wendell Carter Jr impressed for the Magic with 18 points, while team-mate Paolo Banchero added 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a 36-minute outing.

The return to London was the second part of a double-header between the two sides, with the Magic beating the Grizzles 118-111 on Thursday in Berlin.

“I think all players should actually want to come and have the opportunity to play over here and actually experience everything us and the Magic got to in this last week,” said Morant.

His Grizzlies team-mate Jaren Jackson Jr added: “We were here to perform and I’m glad everyone had a great time.

“We’ve been embraced since we’ve been here in Berlin and in London. This is definitely a place I’d love to revisit.”

A win for Memphis in London marks the end of the NBA’s two-match stay in Europe.

In 2027, Manchester will host its first regular-season match, joining up with Paris to host a double-header next January. Paris and Berlin will both host matches in 2028.

Long term, the NBA has plans to launch an independent European league that could start as early as the 2027-28 campaign, with conversations currently ongoing with potential investors, sponsors and stakeholders over how that could look.

The NBA has faced resistance from EuroLeague, the continent’s current primary club competition.

EuroLeague has threatened the NBA with legal action, should it approach any current EuroLeague clubs over joining the formation of a new division.

Real Madrid and Alba Berlin both played in last season’s EuroLeague. While Real Madrid remain a EuroLeague team, Alba Berlin withdrew from the competition after 24 years at the start of this season. Both are understood to be open to joining NBA Europe.

By the time Manchester’s Co-op Live hosts an NBA match next January, there will be a much clearer picture over if the league is happening, how it will look and when it is expected to launch.