NBA will continue its global game tradition to Mexico City and London this season. Fans in both cities will be able to watch their favorite teams and players up close. This season there will be two games played in Mexico City and one in London.
NBA strengthen its connection to Mexico by holding another global games in the Mexico City this season. According to official schedule of the NBA global games, two regular season games will be held in London and Mexico City on Thursday, Jan. 12, followed by another game in Mexico City two days later.
Phoenix Suns will face Dallas Mavericks in the first Mexico City game, while the London game will be held between Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers. While Phoenix Suns will return to Mexico City on Jan. 14 to face San Antonio Spurs.
Last year, six games were held in Canada, Spain and China as part of NBA Global Games. In Canada Series, game between Toronto Raptors against Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors against Denver Nuggets started the 2016-17 NBA Global Games. Followed by games in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain against the local team Real Madrid and Barcelona who played against Oklahoma City Thunder.
The pre-season global games ended in two cities in China. The game between New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets became the global game event in Shanghai and Beijing.
Since 1978, NBA has played 165 global games as reported by CBS Dallas. NBA Global Games initiative was launched to bring the teams from the NBA to play games against NBA team or against the local team.
The very first global game was held in Tel Aviv, Israel on Sept.9, 1978. Defending champion Washington Bullet played local team Maccabi Tel Aviv, in which the Bullets lost 98–97. Washington Bullets became the only team for the first global game for 1979 NBA Global Games in Beijing and Shanghai in China, followed by the game in Quezon City, Philippines.
Watch a look back at the NBA global game in Mexico in 2015-16 season from NBA Official , below: