NBA Mexico City Game 2024: Participants and history
By Ian Levy
The NBA is constantly looking to grow its presence around the globe and over the last few years that has meant hosting a handful of regular-season games in other countries. Between preseason and regular season, the NBA will have five games played other countries this year — not counting the games played in Canada, the home of the Toronto Raptors.
Of those five games, the closest to home will be the one played in November in Mexico City between the Washington Wizards and the Miami Heat. This isn't exactly a top-tier matchup, with the Wizards featuring a rebuilding roster this season, but the atmosphere for international games is always special and you won't want to miss this one.
2024 NBA Mexico City games
DATE | TEAMS | TIME (ET) | CHANNELS |
|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 2, 2024 | Heat vs. Wizards | 9:30 p.m. | NBA League Pass |
Mexico City is a familiar home for NBA action and this will be the 14th regular-season game played in Mexico, going back to 1997.
Previous NBA regular-season games played in Mexico City
DATE | TEAMS | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
Dec. 7, 1997 | Rockets over Mavs | 108-106 |
Nov. 12, 2014 | Rockets over Timberwolves | 113-101 |
Dec. 3, 2015 | Celtics over Kings | 114-97 |
Jan. 12, 2017 | Mavericks over Suns | 113-108 |
Jan. 14, 2017 | Suns over Spurs | 108-105 |
Dec. 7, 2017 | Nets over Thunder | 100-95 |
Dec. 9, 2017 | Heat over Nets | 101-89 |
Dec. 13, 2018 | Magic over Bulls | 97-91 |
Dec. 15, 2018 | Magic over Jazz | 96-89 |
Dec. 12, 2019 | Mavs vs. Pistons | 121-11 |
Dec. 14, 2019 | Spurs over Suns | 121-119 |
Dec. 17, 2022 | Heat over Spurs | 111-101 |
Nov. 9, 2023 | Hawks over Magic | 120-119 |
Nov. 2, 2024 | Heat vs. Wizards | TBD |
History of international NBA regular-season games
The history of international NBA preseason games goes back to 1984 and a matchup between the Suns and Nets in Milan. Including a pair of games in Abu Dhabi this year between the Nuggets and Celtics, the NBA will have hosted 87 preseason games outside the continental US over the past few decades. (The league includes games played in Puerto Rico under its Global Games branding).
The first international regular season game was played in 1990 when the Suns and Jazz traveled to Japan for a two-game event. Since then, 40 international regular-season games have been scheduled, taking place in four different countries. The first NBA regular-season game in Mexico City was on Dec. 7, 1997 with the Rockets defeating the Mavericks 108-106.
Which countries or locations have hosted the most NBA regular-season games?
COUNTRY | NBA GAMES |
|---|---|
Mexico | 14 |
Japan | 12 |
United Kingdom | 9 |
France | 5 |
In addition to the game scheduled in Mexico City, the NBA has a pair of regular-season games scheduled in Paris this season between the San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 23 and Jan. 25.
Which NBA teams have played the most international regular-season games?
TEAM | GAMES | RECORD |
|---|---|---|
Nets | 8 | 4-4 |
Magic | 6 | 4-2 |
Spurs | 5 | 1-2* |
Thunder | 5 | 4-1 |
Clippers | 4 | 0-4 |
Rockets | 4 | 2-2 |
Suns | 4 | 2-2 |
Heat | 3 | 2-0 |
Jazz | 3 | 1-2 |
Kings | 3 | 1-2 |
Knicks | 3 | 1-2 |
Mavericks | 3 | 2-1 |
Pacers | 3 | 0-1* |
Pistons | 3 | 0-3 |
Raptors | 3 | 1-2 |
Timberwolves | 3 | 1-2 |
Bucks | 2 | 2-0 |
Bulls | 2 | 1-1 |
Celtics | 2 | 2-0 |
Hawks | 2 | 1-1 |
Trail Blazers | 2 | 2-0 |
Wizards | 2 | 1-0* |
76ers | 1 | 0-1 |
Cavaliers | 1 | 1-0 |
Hornets | 1 | 0-1 |
Nuggets | 1 | 1-0 |
The Heat, Wizards, Spurs and Pacers all have international games scheduled for this season that have yet to be played.
As of the beginning of the 2024-25 season, just four teams have yet to play an international game during the NBA regular season — the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans.
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