Raptors, Rockets to face off in 2 preseason games in Japan
Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets will play two preseason games in Japan, the NBA announced Monday. The contests will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo on Oct. 8 and Oct. 10.
"Bringing NBA preseason games to Japan will help accelerate the growth of basketball in a country that features a thriving sports culture and one of the world's largest economies," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
The games will mark the NBA's first venture to Japan in 16 years. The league held 12 regular-season games in the country from 1990-2003, including a clash between the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz on Nov. 2, 1990, which marked the first regular-season contest played outside North America by a major U.S. sports league.