Game ID: 22300172
Atlanta Hawks @ Orlando Magic
Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 9:30 PM ET
Arena CDMX, Mexico City, MX
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
ORL 34 35 29 21 119ATL 34 39 20 27 120
ATL @ ORL ScoutingATL @ ORL Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
ORL availability going into 10/31 · back-to-backOUT Black missed 2 since 10/27, returns tonight: 4 min (24% of 16)
OUT Houstan missed 2 since 10/27, returns tonight: 4 min (29% of 13)
NEW Fultz 20 to 27 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 11/02 · 1 day's restBACK Black back 10/31 after 2, 4 min since (24% of 16)
BACK Houstan back 10/31 after 2, 4 min since (29% of 13)
NEW Fultz 20 to 29 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 11/04 · 1 day's restBACK Black back 10/31 after 2, 10 min since (60% of 16)
BACK Houstan back 10/31 after 2, 4 min since (29% of 13)
NEW Fultz 20 to 29 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 11/06 · 1 day's restOUT Fultz missed 2 since 11/02, out tonight
BACK Black back 10/31 after 2, 17 min since (100% of 16)
BACK Houstan back 10/31 after 2, 4 min since (26% of 13)
ORL availability going into 11/09 · 2 days' restOUT Carter Jr. missed 2 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Gar. Harris missed 2 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Fultz missed 3 since 11/02, returns tonight: 29 min (141% of 20)
BACK Black back 10/31 after 2, 21 min since (125% of 16)
BACK Houstan back 10/31 after 2, 7 min since (51% of 13)
ORL availability going into 11/11 · 1 day's restOUT Carter Jr. missed 3 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Gar. Harris missed 3 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Fultz back 11/09 after 3, 29 min since (141% of 20)
BACK Black back 10/31 after 2, 20 min since (121% of 16)
BACK Houstan back 10/31 after 2, 7 min since (51% of 13)
ORL availability going into 11/14 · 2 days' restOUT Carter Jr. missed 4 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Gar. Harris missed 4 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Houstan missed 2 since 11/09, returns tonight: 4 min (34% of 13)
BACK Fultz back 11/09 after 3, 29 min since (141% of 20)
NEW Black 16 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Ingles 16 to 22 min over the last 5
NEW Bitadze 15 to 23 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 11/15 · back-to-backOUT Carter Jr. missed 5 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Gar. Harris missed 5 since 11/04, returns tonight: 21 min (86% of 24)
OUT Fultz missed 2 since 11/11, out tonight
BACK Houstan back 11/14 after 2, 4 min since (34% of 13)
NEW Black 16 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Ingles 16 to 22 min over the last 5
NEW Bitadze 15 to 23 min over the last 5
ORL availability going into 11/17 · 1 day's restOUT Carter Jr. missed 6 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Fultz missed 3 since 11/11, out tonight
BACK Gar. Harris back 11/15 after 5, 21 min since (86% of 24)
BACK Houstan back 11/14 after 2, 4 min since (34% of 13)
NEW Black 16 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Bitadze 15 to 23 min over the last 5
ATL availability going into 10/30 · back-to-backOUT Mathews missed 3 since 10/25, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 3 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Fernando back 10/29 after 2, 5 min since (31% of 15)
BACK Gueye back 10/29 after 2, 3 min since (26% of 12)
BACK Bufkin back 10/29 after 2, 3 min since (28% of 12)
BACK Forrest back 10/29 after 2, 5 min since (43% of 11)
ATL availability going into 11/01 · 1 day's restOUT Mathews missed 4 since 10/25, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 4 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Fernando back 10/29 after 2, 3 min since (19% of 15)
BACK Gueye back 10/29 after 2, 2 min since (18% of 12)
BACK Bufkin back 10/29 after 2, 2 min since (19% of 12)
BACK Forrest back 10/29 after 2, 5 min since (43% of 11)
ATL availability going into 11/04 · 2 days' restOUT Mathews missed 5 since 10/25, returns tonight: 4 min (24% of 15)
OUT Forrest missed 2 since 10/30, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 5 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Fernando back 10/29 after 2, 3 min since (19% of 15)
BACK Gueye back 10/29 after 2, 2 min since (18% of 12)
BACK Bufkin back 10/29 after 2, 2 min since (19% of 12)
ATL availability going into 11/06 · 1 day's restOUT Fernando missed 2 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Gueye missed 2 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Bufkin missed 2 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Forrest missed 3 since 10/30, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 6 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Mathews back 11/04 after 5, 4 min since (24% of 15)
ATL availability going into 11/09 · 2 days' restOUT Fernando missed 3 since 11/01, returns tonight: 1 min (9% of 15)
OUT Gueye missed 3 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Bufkin missed 3 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Forrest missed 4 since 10/30, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 7 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Mathews back 11/04 after 5, 4 min since (26% of 15)
ATL availability going into 11/11 · 1 day's restOUT Gueye missed 4 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Bufkin missed 4 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Forrest missed 5 since 10/30, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 8 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Fernando back 11/09 after 3, 1 min since (9% of 15)
BACK Mathews back 11/04 after 5, 4 min since (26% of 15)
ATL availability going into 11/14 · 2 days' restOUT Mathews missed 2 since 11/09, returns tonight: 2 min (11% of 15)
OUT Gueye missed 5 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Bufkin missed 5 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Forrest missed 6 since 10/30, returns tonight: 13 min (120% of 11)
OUT Mills missed 9 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Fernando back 11/09 after 3, 1 min since (9% of 15)
ATL availability going into 11/15 · back-to-backOUT Fernando missed 2 since 11/11, out tonight
OUT Gueye missed 6 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Bufkin missed 6 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 10 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Mathews back 11/04 after 5, 3 min since (21% of 15)
BACK Forrest back 11/14 after 6, 13 min since (120% of 11)
ATL availability going into 11/17 · 1 day's restOUT Fernando missed 3 since 11/11, out tonight
OUT Gueye missed 7 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Bufkin missed 7 since 11/01, out tonight
OUT Mills missed 11 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Mathews back 11/14 after 2, 2 min since (11% of 15)
BACK Forrest back 11/14 after 6, 13 min since (120% of 11)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 25 free throws a game; Banchero at 20 and F. Wagner at 18 a game. Without Carter Jr. (2 straight), Gar. Harris (2 straight), Fultz (3 straight). 2 days' rest. Atlanta comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 26 free throws a game; Murray at 26 and Young at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 11 a night. Without Fernando (3 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Atlanta wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Atlanta has been plus-11 a night and Orlando plus-3. Call it Atlanta 115, Orlando 113, Orlando keeping it close.
10/31 @ LAC 102-118 — ORL notes
ORL lost 102-118. ORL shot 47% (38 of 81) to LAC's 49%, 7 of 30 from three, and went to the line 33 times to LAC's 23 — 19 points from the stripe to their 16. Banchero led with 15 (5 of 13, 1 of 3 from three, 4 of 8 at the line); F. Wagner added 14, M. Wagner 13. Q1 was theirs, 18-13, but the other 3 periods went 105-84 against them. Anthony's -18 in 18 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/02 @ UTA 115-113 — ORL notes
ORL won 115-113. ORL shot 46% (39 of 85) to UTA's 46%, 10 of 29 from three, and went to the line 36 times to UTA's 26 — 27 points from the stripe to their 19. Banchero led with 30 (9 of 13, 11 of 15 at the line); F. Wagner added 21, Anthony 18. The hinge was Q2, 36-24: ORL came in trailing by 4 and left it ahead by 8.
11/04 vs LAL 120-101 — ORL notes
ORL won 120-101. ORL shot 46% (46 of 101) to LAL's 44%, 12 of 33 from three. The glass went 51-40 for them. F. Wagner led with 26 (12 of 28, 1 of 3 from three); Banchero added 25, Anthony 14. The hinge was Q1, 39-25: from level to 14 ahead, and the lead reached 25. Black was the night's best plus/minus at +32.
11/06 vs DAL 102-117 — ORL notes
ORL lost 102-117. ORL shot 47% (40 of 85) to DAL's 50%, 8 of 27 from three, and got to the line 18 times to DAL's 28. ORL turned it over 20 times to DAL's 14, and DAL turned those into 9 steals. Banchero led with 22 (8 of 18, 6 of 6 at the line); Anthony added 19, M. Wagner 19. Q2 was theirs, 33-26, but the other 3 periods went 91-69 against them. They led by as many as 15. Banchero's -15 in 37 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/09 vs ATL 119-120 — ORL notes
ORL lost 119-120. ORL shot 47% (42 of 90) to ATL's 48%, 10 of 27 from three. The glass went 47-36 for them. Suggs led with 21 (7 of 10, 4 of 5 from three, 3 of 6 at the line); Banchero added 17, Fultz 13. Q3 was theirs, 29-20, turning a 4-point deficit into a 5-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 100-90 against them. They led by as many as 11.
11/11 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 114, shooting 46 percent and 32 from three, 28 free throws a game; Banchero at 22 and F. Wagner at 17 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Carter Jr. (3 straight), Gar. Harris (3 straight). One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 121, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 30 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 29 and Lillard at 25 a game. It has lost the glass by 10 a night. One day's rest.
So: Orlando wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Orlando has been plus-4 a night and Milwaukee minus-10 and the turnovers, Orlando giving it away 17 times a game to Milwaukee's 12. Call it Orlando 117, Milwaukee 113, Milwaukee keeping it close.
11/14 @ BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Brooklyn comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 112, shooting 43 percent and 33 from three, 16 free throws a game; Thomas at 29 and Bridges at 20 a game. Without Thomas (2 straight), Simmons (3 straight), Clowney (10 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 29 free throws a game; Banchero at 24 and F. Wagner at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Carter Jr. (4 straight), Gar. Harris (4 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Brooklyn wins, and the game turns on the line, where Orlando takes 29 free throws a game to Brooklyn's 16 and the turnovers, Orlando giving it away 17 times a game to Brooklyn's 11. Call it Brooklyn 112, Orlando 111, Orlando keeping it close.
11/15 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 116, shooting 45 percent and 39 from three, 22 free throws a game; Vučević at 20 and DeRozan at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 12 a night. Without Caruso (2 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 26 free throws a game; Banchero at 22 and F. Wagner at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Carter Jr. (5 straight), Gar. Harris (5 straight), Fultz (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Chicago wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Orlando has been plus-6 a night and Chicago minus-12 and the turnovers, Orlando giving it away 16 times a game to Chicago's 9. Call it Chicago 113, Orlando 111, Orlando keeping it close.
11/17 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 110, shooting 44 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; LaVine at 21 and DeRozan at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 110, shooting 44 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; Banchero at 20 and F. Wagner at 16 a game. Without Carter Jr. (6 straight), Fultz (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Chicago wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Orlando has been plus-2 a night and Chicago minus-8 and the turnovers, Orlando giving it away 16 times a game to Chicago's 11. Call it Chicago 111, Orlando 108, Orlando keeping it close.
10/30 vs MIN 127-113 — ATL notes
ATL won 127-113. ATL shot 56% (48 of 86) to MIN's 49%, 14 of 30 from three. Murray led with 41 (17 of 24, 3 of 5 from three); Young added 24, Hunter 16. The hinge was Q3, 38-19: ATL came in trailing by 19 and left it level, and the lead reached 19. ATL trailed 60-79 at the half and won the second half 67-34. Murray was the night's best plus/minus at +25.
11/01 vs WAS 130-121 — ATL notes
ATL won 130-121. ATL shot 50% (46 of 92) to WAS's 50%, 9 of 32 from three, and went to the line 32 times to WAS's 14 — 29 points from the stripe to their 9. ATL turned it over 20 times to WAS's 11, and WAS turned those into 14 steals. The glass went 57-35 for them. Murray led with 24 (10 of 15, 3 of 5 from three); Young added 23, Hunter 23. The hinge was Q2, 34-21: ATL came in trailing by 5 and left it ahead by 8, and the lead reached 26. Capela was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
11/04 @ NOP 123-105 — ATL notes
ATL won 123-105. ATL shot 48% (45 of 93) to NOP's 48%, 14 of 41 from three. The glass went 52-35 for them. Young led with 22 (7 of 15, 3 of 7 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Johnson added 21, Murray 20. The hinge was Q3, 41-23: ATL came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 11, and the lead reached 18. ATL trailed 53-60 at the half and won the second half 70-45. Johnson was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
11/06 @ OKC 117-126 — ATL notes
ATL lost 117-126. ATL took 8 more shots (102 to 94), fed by 25 offensive rebounds, but shot 37% to OKC's 48%, 14 of 42 from three, and went to the line 32 times to OKC's 23 — 27 points from the stripe to their 22. The glass went 59-49 for them. Murray led with 29 (7 of 16, 6 of 9 from three, 9 of 10 at the line); Young added 22, Bogdanović 17. Q4 was theirs, 40-30, the deficit cut from 19 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 96-77 against them. Young's -18 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/09 @ ORL 120-119 — ATL notes
ATL won 120-119. ATL shot 48% (41 of 85) to ORL's 47%, 15 of 39 from three. The glass went 36-47 against them. Young led with 41 (12 of 27, 5 of 15 from three, 12 of 13 at the line); Johnson added 19, Murray 16. The hinge was Q4, 27-21: ATL came in trailing by 5 and left it ahead by 1.
11/11 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Atlanta comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 27 free throws a game; Young at 26 and Murray at 26 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Herro at 23 and Adebayo at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Martin (7 straight), Jović (4 straight), Love (4 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Atlanta wins, and the game turns on the line, where Atlanta takes 27 free throws a game to Miami's 20 and the glass, where Atlanta has been plus-7 a night and Miami plus-3. Call it Atlanta 118, Miami 112.
11/14 @ DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 119, shooting 47 percent and 33 from three, 20 free throws a game; Cunningham at 22 and Hayes at 16 a game. That is 5 straight losses. One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 118, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 27 free throws a game; Young at 27 and Murray at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Mathews (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Atlanta wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Atlanta has been plus-9 a night and Detroit plus-3 and the line, where Atlanta takes 27 free throws a game to Detroit's 20. Call it Atlanta 117, Detroit 115, Detroit keeping it close.
11/15 vs NYK — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 28 and Murray at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Fernando (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 107, shooting 46 percent and 39 from three, 24 free throws a game; Barrett at 25 and Brunson at 25 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: New York wins, on the road, and the game turns on the turnovers, Atlanta giving it away 16 times a game to New York's 10 and the defense, New York allowing 107 a night to Atlanta's 117. Call it New York 114, Atlanta 113, Atlanta keeping it close.
11/17 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Atlanta comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 120, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 26 and Murray at 23 a game. Without Fernando (3 straight). One day's rest. Philadelphia comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 117, shooting 47 percent and 33 from three, 27 free throws a game; Embiid at 31 and Maxey at 30 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Oubre Jr. (3 straight), Batum (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Atlanta wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Atlanta giving it away 16 times a game to Philadelphia's 11 and the glass, where Philadelphia has been plus-5 a night and Atlanta minus-1. Call it Atlanta 118, Philadelphia 117, Philadelphia keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
ATLAG A. Griffin
BB B. Bogdanović
BF B. Fernando
BO Bogdanovic
CC C. Capela
DH D. Hunter
DM D. Murray
JJ J. Johnson
OO O. Okongwu
SB S. Bey
TY T. Young
ORLAB A. Black
CA C. Anthony
CO C. Okeke
FW F. Wagner
GB G. Bitadze
JI J. Ingles
JI J. Isaac
JS J. Suggs
MF M. Fultz
MW M. Wagner
PB P. Banchero
ATL/ORL the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Young scores 41, Murray hits go-ahead 3 as the Hawks beat the Magic 120-119 in Mexico City
MEXICO CITY -- — Trae Young put on a show for nearly 20,000 fans in the NBA's regular-season game in Mexico City.
He wouldn't mind getting to do it every season.
Young scored 41 points, then fed Dejounte Murray for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds left to give the Atlanta Hawks a 120-119 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.
“I love the energy of the arena tonight, the electricity. It was fun playing here,” Young said. “I know we’re obviously probably going to expand the league and expand it to a couple more cities. I mean, I’m going to be open to playing here. This is an unbelievable place to play."
Jalen Suggs scored 21 points and Paolo Banchero had 17, but missed a 3-pointer with 7.9 seconds remaining on Orlando’s final possession.
“We were trying to run the same play for Franz (Wagner). He scored on a possession before but he drew two defenders, kicked it out to me and I missed the shot," Banchero said. “We had a chance to win and we didn’t win. But it was a great game, though. Great environment.”
Young had 33 points in the first half for Atlanta (4-3), which played for the first time south of the border. Jalen Johnson had 19 points, Murray added 16 and Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 15.
Although the Magic played the game as the host team, many of the sellout crowd that came to the Arena Ciudad the Mexico, a glass-clad state of the art facility, were wearing jerseys of Young, who lived in Lubbock, Texas, or Hawks gear and cheered loudly for the visiting team.
The atmosphere seemed to make the players forget about playing at an altitude of 7,350 feet above sea level, but that did not last forever.
“You can definitely feel the altitude, it affected all of us," Young said. "There was a moment in the third quarter when I had to come out because the altitude got to me, I needed to get a breather.”
The Magic pulled ahead 111-100 after rookie Anthony Black hit a 3-pointer from the right corner, but the Hawks had a 14-2 run sealed with Johnson’s driving layup to take a 114-113 lead with 4:04 left to play.
The teams exchanged leads and Wagner scored on a hook to put Orlando ahead 119-117 with 43 seconds left to play. Young drove toward the basket and fired a pass out to Murray behind the arc for the final points.
The Hawks built an 18-7 lead early in the game after a 3 by Young, but the Magic rallied to tie it at 34 after the first 12 minutes.
The Hawks led 73-69 at the half, with Young shooting 9 for 14 from the field and 11 for 11 from the free throw line.
But the Atlanta guard cooled off in the third scoring, going just 1 for 6, and Orlando closed the quarter on an 11-5 run to take a 98-93 lead into the fourth period.
It was the league’s 32nd game in Mexico since 1992, more than any country outside the U.S. and Canada.
According to NBA metrics, there are 30 million fans in the country and it has been mentioned as a potential city when, or if the league, decides to expand.
“I can´t set a specific timeline, but a main part of my job, if not the most important part of my job, is to grow this league. So it´s something to think about a lot," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said before the game.
Mexico has an NBA G League team that had a successful first year playing at the Arena Ciudad the Mexico. Positive feedback from former NBA players who reside in Mexico City might help the city on its bid for a franchise in the future, but for now the only thing certain is more regular season games.
“We´ll definitely will be back," Silver said when pressed by Mexican reporters for the chances of the city getting a team. “We will be back next year with at least one game, we´ll see whether it´s two games.”
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host the Miami Heat on Saturday night after a three-game road trip