NBA London: Memphis Grizzlies beat Orlando Magic as the NBA returns to the UK
The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Orlando Magic 126-109 in the first NBA regular season game hosted in London since 2019.
The Grizzlies, who have struggled for consistency this season, raced to an early dominance at the O2 Arena, leading by 17 points late in the first quarter.
From there, it became a close contest, with the margin varying little over the final three quarters, and the Magic’s hopes of a comeback limited by the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies were inspired by star point guard Ja Morant in his return from a sprained ankle that kept him out for six games. His name received the loudest cheer from the London crowd before tip-off.
Morant scored 20 points in the first half, including 15 in the second quarter.
He was only supposed to make a limited appearance in his return, but he played 28 minutes as he scored 24 points and teammate Jock Landale added 21 off the bench.
Wendell Carter Jr. impressed for the Magic with 18 points, while teammate Paolo Banchero added 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in 36 minutes of action.
The return to London was the second part of a doubleheader between the two teams, with the Magic beating the Grizzlies 118-111 on Thursday in Berlin.
2026-01-18 20:09:00
