The Memphis Grizzlies cruised to a 126-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in the first NBA regular-season match to be hosted in London since 2019.
The Grizzlies, who have struggled for consistency this season, raced into early domination at the O2 Arena, leading by 17 points late into the first quarter.
From there it became an even contest, with the score difference varying little in the last three quarters and the Magic’s hopes of a fightback limited by the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies were inspired by star point guard Ja Morant on his return from an ankle sprain that resulted in him missing six matches. His name received the loudest cheer from the London crowd before the tip-off.
Morant put up 20 points in the first half, 15 of which came in the second quarter.
He was only due to make a limited appearance on his return but played for 28 minutes as he scored 24 points, with team-mate Jock Landale adding 21 from the bench.
Wendell Carter Jr impressed for the Magic with 18 points, while team-mate Paolo Banchero added 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a 36-minute outing.
The return to London was the second part of a double-header between the two sides, with the Magic beating the Grizzles 118-111 on Thursday in Berlin.
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