London, England – The NBA returns to Europe during the 2012-13 regular season, featuring a January matchup in London between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks.
The game, to take place Jan. 17 at The O2 -- hosting its seventh NBA event since 2007 -- is part of NBA London Live 2013, an orchestrated effort by the league to market its product to a broader audience worldwide, said NBA Commissioner David Stern.
"London was the epicenter of global sports this summer, and the Olympics were a tremendous showcase for basketball," said Stern. "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 U.K. and throughout Europe."
Following the event, the NBA will have played a total of 115 games internationally since 1988, including 16 regular-season games in Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
This year, the league also features seven preseason games taking place in Istanbul, Milan, Berlin, Barcelona, Beijing, Shanghai and Mexico City.
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