The Knicks to play in London in January
Tyson Chandler of the Knicks smiles during the first Knicks practice of the season in Greenburgh, NY. (Oct. 2, 2012) Credit: David Pokress
Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler will return to the site where they won their gold medals over the summer.
The NBA officially announced that the Knicks will be playing a regular-season game at the O2 Arena in London. They will face the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 17, 2013. It's a "home" game for Detroit, to the Knicks still have 41 games at The Garden.
“I am excited to show our great fans in London what New York basketball is about,” said Knicks coach Mike Woodson in a statement. “For Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler to return to the city where they helped Team USA win the Gold makes it even more special for our team.”
This will be the NBA’s third regular-season game in Europe. The Nets and Raptors played each other twice at the O2 in March 2011.
“London was the epicenter of global sports this summer, and the Olympics were a tremendous showcase for basketball,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “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.”
