Starting 5: The NBA Berlin Game 2026 is here

Three game-winners this season. One syllable. One call.
Vooooooch.
Hours after Nikola Vučević called game in Chicago, the NBA Berlin Game tips off overseas as the Grizzlies and Magic meet at 2 ET on Prime. | Tap to Watch
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
NBA Berlin Game 2026: Three things to know before the Magic & Grizz face off in Germany
Tonight On Prime: A Thunder-Rockets encore, before Brunson’s Knicks visit Steph’s Dubs
League Pass: Giannis & Wemby’s fourth career showdown highlights six more games
Wednesday Closers: Vučevic plays hero before the horn (again), Murray and Mitchell take over
Roundup: Kawhi & Harden pace Clips, BI boosts Raptors, Trey Murphy III powers Pels
BUT FIRST … ⏰
NBA Berlin Game 2026 tips off in just a few hours as the Magic face the Grizzlies at 2 ET on Prime.
The international showdown tips off a tripleheader on Prime as the Thunder visit the Rockets in prime time (7:30 ET | Tap to Watch), before the Warriors host the Knicks (10 ET | Tap to Watch). Six more games get underway on League Pass.
1. NBA BERLIN GAME 2026: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Two teams. Two countries. Four days.
Today (2 ET, Prime), the Grizzlies and Magic face off in the NBA Berlin Game 2026, before meeting again on Sunday in the NBA London Game 2026 (Noon ET, Prime).
- Europe, Expanded: The matchups open a three-year slate of NBA games in Europe, with stops in Manchester and Paris in 2027 and Berlin and Paris in 2028
- A First in Deutschland: Thursday’s showdown marks the 14th game featuring an NBA team in Germany since 1984 and the league’s first regular-season game in the country
With tipoff just hours away, NBA.com’s Brian Martin breaks down three things to know ahead of the Berlin showdown:
1. Homecoming For Magic Trio: Orlando’s roster features three German players — Franz & Mo Wagner and Tristan da Silva — who have all played for the national team.
The Wagner brothers led Germany to win the 2023 FIBA World Cup, while Franz and da Silva helped Germany win EuroBasket 2025.
There was concern that the Wagners would miss the Berlin Game due to injuries. However, Moe returned Sunday after missing 13 months with an ACL tear, while Franz returns on Thursday after missing 16 games with a high ankle sprain.
2. Bane, Grizzlies reunite in Europe: The Magic and Grizzlies did not wait until the 2025 NBA Finals were over to begin the summer of player movement. They agreed to a trade in mid-June that sent Desmond Bane to Orlando.
… The teams have yet to meet this season, so today will mark the first time Bane and Caldwell-Pope face their former squads.
3. All-Stars on a global stage: In addition to welcoming home three of their own in the Wagner brothers and da Silva, fans will also see a trio of young All-Stars in Orlando’s Paolo Banchero (2024) and Memphis’ Ja Morant (’22, ’23) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (’23, ’25). | Read More
On The Ground: Ahead of tipoff in Berlin, the Grizzlies and Magic soaked up the city during their early days on site.
Beyond Borders: Now, the two squads will take the floor together, not just seeking a win, but sharing a moment on the international stage and uniting fans around the world.
- “I think the great thing about sport is that it connects a lot of people,” said Franz Wagner on Tuesday. “We can connect people through basketball. That’s always something beautiful.
2. TONIGHT ON PRIME: THUNDER-ROCKETS, WARRIORS-KNICKS
Basketball truly is a global game. Households across the world are filled with fans, eager to tune in live and witness the best players ball out.
The action is non-stop — even from Berlin to Houston.
Tonight, the Thunder hit the road to face the Rockets (7:30 ET, Prime Video) for the first time since their double-overtime season opener nearly three months ago.
- Storm Watch: Following a 2-4 skid from Dec. 13-25, the defending champions have won eight of their last 10 to build a 6.5-game lead for 1st in the West
- Fueling Up: Houston is 6-4 in its last 10 games and is 6th, just 2.5 games behind the No. 2 seed
- Triple Threat: Kevin Durant (26.1 ppg), Alperen Sengun (21.7 ppg) and Amen Thompson (18.8 ppg) boast a combined 120.7 OffRtg — 7th-best among all trios
OKC is fresh off Tuesday’s 119-98 win against San Antonio, the only squad that has solved the champs more than once in 2025-26.
In that effort, the Thunder relied on their league-best 105.4 DefRtg to stymie the 2nd-place Spurs while allowing their offense to flow through Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
- MVP Moves: The 8th-year guard poured in 34 points on 11-for-23 shooting that night
Coast meets coast later in the evening (10 ET, Prime) when the Knicks face the Warriors. The latter carries the better track record, having won nine of their last 13 meetings.
- Special Recipe: Stephen Curry has excelled against New York, guiding his teams to a 21-6 combined record with numbers he doesn’t average against any other opponent
- Secret Ingredients: That one-of-a-kind resume features 25.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and six assists per game and 44.7% on 3-pointers
These two teams specialize in different departments. The Warriors own a 112.2 DefRtg — good for 5th-best — whereas the Knicks have posted a 3rd-best OffRtg (120.3).
- Checking In: That elite level of scoring has pushed New York to 2nd place in the East and 3.5 games back of Detroit, while Golden State is 8th in the West behind its defense
- Brunson Exits: The Knicks may be without their offensive engine, as Jalen Brunson left Wednesday’s game in the 1st quarter with an ankle injury and did not return
3. ON LEAGUE PASS: WEMBY VS. GIANNIS CLASH LEADS SIX MORE SHOWDOWNS
When LeBron and the rest of us were at a loss for words describing pre-NBA Victor Wembanyama in 2022, “freak” was unavailable, thanks to Giannis.
Now the freakish, other-worldly skillsets of Antetokounmpo and Wemby collide again tonight in San Antonio (8 ET, League Pass).
- Freak First: Giannis holds a 2-1 edge in four career games, averaging more points (34.7) and rebounds (14.7) than Wemby (22.3 pts, 11.0 reb, 4.7 blk)
- Alien Advantage: Despite Giannis’ big night (35 pts, 14 reb, 6 ast), Wemby (30 pts, 14 reb, 6 blk) and his Spurs won the last matchup, 144-118, on Jan. 31, 2025
- The Dance: Giannis is leading the league for a third straight season in paint points (19.8 per game), but Wemby turns a high-percentage interior shot into a toss-up, allowing just 52.5 FG% at the rim
“Giannis is one of the players I watch the most,” Wemby said. “With the way he uses his body, it’s, of course, something I looked up to, and I still do.”
“He has the chance to be one of the best to ever play this game,” Giannis said of Wemby. “His skills, the way he can move – he’s extremely fast for his size.”
Elsewhere on League Pass, Devin Booker and the Suns shoot for a tenth win in their last 13, visiting the East-leading Pistons (7 ET), and a classic rivalry renews between Boston and Miami (7:30 ET).
- Jazz at Mavericks (8:30 ET)
- Hawks at Blazers (10 ET)
- Hornets at Lakers (10:30 ET)
4. WEDNESDAY CLOSERS: VOOCH WINS IT AGAIN, MURRAY & MITCHELL TAKE OVER
Game on the line, under five seconds to play … who gets the ball?
The Bulls have looked to one man all season, and he delivered for a third time.
Bulls 128, Jazz 126: A night after his best-career scoring game, an off-balance Tre Jones whipped the game-winning assist to Nikola Vučević, who dropped in his third game-winner this season and a season-high 35 points to lift Chicago past Utah and Brice Sensabaugh’s career-high 43 points. | Recap
“Great hustle by Isaac (Okoro), and Tre (Jones), great pass… I just told myself, ‘Don’t miss it,’” Vučević said. “That last play summarized the whole game: It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done.”
- Cramming Clutch: Vučević is the first player since 2023-24 with at least three game-winners coming in the final five seconds in a single season. He had two in his previous 14 seasons combined
- Keyonte George’s (25 pts, 7 ast) 15 4th-quarter points dueled with Vooch (16 pts in 4th) and keyed a 15-6 Jazz comeback to tie it. George’s attempt to win it looked similar to the shot he beat the Bulls with in double OT on Nov. 16
- Sensational: Sensabaugh scored 21 of Utah’s 39 1st-quarter points, becoming the second youngest player in Jazz history with a 40+ point game, behind Donovan Mitchell
Nuggets 118, Mavericks 109: After trailing by 23 in the 3rd, Dallas trimmed its deficit to six early in the 4th. But Denver responded with a 10-0 run behind Jamal Murray (33 pts, 5 ast) as the Nuggets pulled away for their fourth win in five games. | Recap
- Answer: Murray closed the 10-0 spurt with two buckets in 21 seconds: a driving layup, then a crushing 3 to push the lead back to 16
- Put Away: When Dallas cut its deficit to six in the final minute, Murray responded again – splashing a step-back dagger for his 11th point of the 4th
- Another Level: It’s Murray’s eighth game this year with 30+ pts and 5+ ast, tying his single-season career high
- New No. 2: Aaron Gordon (22 pts) and Peyton Watson (18 pts) combined for 40 as Denver improved to 6-3 in Nikola Jokić’s absence, jumping to 2nd out West
- Flagg Exits: Naji Marshall led Dallas with 24 points after Cooper Flagg exited at halftime with an ankle injury
With the Cavs seeking a timely win, Spida spun his web.
Cavaliers 133, Sixers 107: Donovan Mitchell, who leads the NBA in 2nd-half scoring, dropped 20 of his 35 points in the 3rd, where the Cavs used a 15-4 run to pull away from Joel Embiid (20 pts) and the Sixers. | Recap
- Almost A Habit: It’s Mitchell’s fifth 30-piece in his last seven outings and his 10th 35+ point game this season, his most since 2022-23
- All Cylinders: He added 7 boards and 9 dimes, as Cleveland finished with a season-high 41 assists and 13 different scorers
5. ROUNDUP: RAPTORS STOP PACERS’ STREAK, KINGS & CLIPS ROLL
Raptors 115, Pacers 101: Brandon Ingram (30 pts, 7 reb) led all scorers and Scottie Barnes (26 pts, 7 reb, 13 ast, 2 stl) and Grady Dick (21 pts, 11 reb) shined as Toronto closed out a wire-to-wire win on a 12-2 run, halting Pascal Siakam (26 pts, 10 reb) and Indy’s three-game win streak. | Recap
- Raptors’ Resolution: Toronto has won five of seven games to start 2026, moving within a half game of Boston for 3rd place
Make that three straight for Sacramento.
Kings 112, Knicks 101: After taking down the Rockets and Lakers, the Kings jumped out to a 32-17 lead and never looked back to drop the Knicks.
Sacramento’s three stars fueled the dub, with DeMar DeRozan (27 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) and Zach LaVine (25 pts, 5 3s) leading the scoring, while Russell Westbrook stuffed the stat sheet (19 pts, 11 ast, 6 reb) alongside Precious Achiuwa (20 pts, 14 reb, 2 blk). | Recap
- DeMar Climbs: DeRozan passed Kevin Garnett (26,071) for 22nd on the all-time scoring list in the win
- Stepping Up: Mikal Bridges finished with a team-high 19 points in Brunson’s absence
Clippers 119, Wizards 105: The Clippers closed the 1st quarter on a 35-15 run and never trailed again as Kawhi Leonard (33 pts, 4 stl, 7 3s) and James Harden (22 pts, 8 ast) paced LA past Kyshawn George (23 pts) and Washington for a 10th win in its last 12 games. | Recap
Pelicans 116, Nets 113: In his fourth 30-piece in five games, Trey Murphy III poured in 34 points, while adding 9 boards, 5 dimes, 2 steals and a pair of game-sealing free throws to stave off Michael Porter Jr. (20 pts, 7 reb) and the Nets. | Recap
- Treys On Treys: Murphy III is averaging 32.6 ppg in his last five outings – the best five-game stretch of his career – while hitting 5 3s a night on 41% in that span
- Dunks On Dunks: Zion Williamson added 25 points, 6 boards and 1 poster while Saddiq Bey slammed home a tiebreaking dunk with 21 seconds left to put NOLA up for good
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