NBA
Heat, Spurs will play game in Mexico City during 2022-23 NBA season
James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.
All posts by James FoglioUpdated08 Aug 2022
The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are scheduled to play a game in Mexico City in the upcoming 2022-23 NBA season. On December 17, the two interconference opponents will face off in Mexico City, per Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
Of course, this matchup will count as a home game for the Spurs. According to Marc Stein, the NBA will release the full schedule next week. Mexico City has hosted at least 30 NBA games since 1992, the most games held in any country outside the United States and Canada.
From earlier — Heat regular-season schedule to include game in Mexico City, team’s second visit there in five. years https://t.co/GLBBEZkvup
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) August 7, 2022
Playing in Mexico City is kind of like playing in Denver, Colorado. Due to higher elevation, athletes not accustomed to the higher altitude may experience sickness and exhaustion.
For a quick comparison, Denver is 5,280 feet above sea level. On the other hand, Mexico City is approximately 7,350 feet above sea level. That’s quite a difference. So, the sooner Heat and Spurs players can practice in CMDX, the better.
Heat vs. Spurs is scheduled for December 17, 2022
The NBA G League also established a new team in Mexico City, the Capitanes. However, the team was unable to play home games there due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On December 7, 2017, the Brooklyn Nets played the Oklahoma City Thunder at Arena Ciudad de Mexico. Two days later, the Nets also played the Heat in Mexico City. Now, this is the Heat’s second trip to the city in five years.
Then, in the 2017-18 season, the Orlando Magic played against the Chicago Bulls at Arena Ciudad de Mexico on December 13, 2018. The Magic also played the Utah Jazz in Mexico.
Furthermore, fan feedback is mixed. Quite a few NBA fans feel international games just takes home games away from teams. They have a valid point. But there are a lot of Heat and Spurs fans in Mexico.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver plans to revert back to the standard 82-game schedule format for the foreseeable future. He also hopes teams will be eligible to play preseason and regular season games across the globe. Silver’s goal is to expand the league overseas.
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