NBA Regular-Season Game Returns to London in 2013

NBA regular-season action is set to return back to the UK after the basketball organisation announced the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks will play the third regular season game in London when they meet at the 02 Arena in January 2013.

Three-time champions Detroit and twice winners New York will follow the two London clashes in March 2011 between the Toronto Raptors and the New Jersey Nets, also played at the 02 which hosted the Olympic final in August.

The NBA was scheduled to play a regular-season game in 2012 but the lockout made that possibility unfeasible.

“London was the epicentre of global sports this summer, and the Olympics were a tremendous showcase for basketball,” NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement on Thursday.

“Playing our third regular-season game in the city in three years and having historic franchises like the Knicks and Pistons serve as our ambassadors provide extraordinary opportunities to further the game’s growth and development in the UK and throughout Europe.”

The NBA has previously played 16 regular-season games abroad in Japan, Mexico and Britain.

Big names such as Olympic champion Carmelo Anthony will feature in the Jan. 17 game and Knicks head coach Mike Woodson cannot wait to cross the Atlantic.

The season begins on October 30.