The Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers will contest the seventh NBA Global Games regular-season match-up at the O2 Arena in London on 12 January.
The announcement was made via Facebook Live at the NBA’s European office and tickets for the match will be on sale at the start of the 2016-17 season.
Denver will be the first Western Conference team to contest a regular-season game on these shores and will act as the ‘home’ team while Indiana are making their debut in the UK.
The Pacers’ roster is highlighted by the three-time All Star Paul George, who is currently preparing for the Rio Olympics with Team USA. “I’m really excited and thankful the NBA is allowing us to reach out to our fans in London,” George said. “This is great exposure for our team and our franchise.”
While Indiana qualified for the play-offs last season with a 45-37 record, falling in the first round to the Toronto Raptors, Denver struggled throughout. The Nuggets, winners of only 33 games, are a similar team to last year’s London visitors Orlando Magic, boasting a lot of young talent which is still developing.
Danilo Gallinari, a first-round pick back in 2008 who was born in Italy, said: “Our entire team and organisation are looking forward to this opportunity to showcase our league to fans overseas.”
The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, who governs a league that puts out nearly 25% of players from outside the United States, is glad to be returning to the UK. He said: “We are thrilled to return for our seventh regular-season game in London. We are seeing first-hand the global growth of our game, which has never been more popular in the UK.”
