The National Basketball Association has been forced to make significant adjustments to its schedule following a severe winter storm that swept across much of the United States, creating dangerous travel conditions and widespread disruptions. The league announced the postponement of two games originally set for Sunday, January 25, and has since revealed a comprehensive rescheduling plan to accommodate the changes.
Winter Weather Halts NBA Action
A powerful winter storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain to multiple regions, particularly impacting the Memphis area where precipitation began early Saturday morning and continued into Sunday. The hazardous conditions led to blocked highways, extensive power outages, and treacherous travel situations as freezing rain accumulated on trees and power lines south and east of Memphis.
Authorities strongly advised people to avoid road travel due to the refreeze caused by the wintry mix and extremely low temperatures. These conditions directly affected NBA teams' ability to travel for scheduled games.
Game Postponements and Travel Challenges
The Dallas Mavericks faced particular difficulties when they were unable to fly to Milwaukee for their Sunday night game against the Bucks despite making two separate attempts. The decision to postpone this matchup was made public just hours before the scheduled tipoff.
Similarly, the game between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies was postponed approximately three hours before it was set to begin. The Nuggets indicated they planned to depart from Memphis International Airport at some point on Sunday, depending on conditions, as they prepared for their next home game against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.
Comprehensive Rescheduling Plan
The NBA has implemented a detailed rescheduling strategy to address the weather-related disruptions:
- The Dallas Mavericks vs. Milwaukee Bucks game, originally scheduled for Sunday, January 25, will now take place on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:00 PM local time (8:00 PM ET)
- The Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies game, also originally set for January 25, has been moved to Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00 PM local time (8:00 PM ET)
- The New York Knicks vs. Memphis Grizzlies game will now occur on Wednesday, April 1 instead of Wednesday, March 18, maintaining the same start times of 7:00 PM local and 8:00 PM ET
- The Dallas Mavericks vs. Memphis Grizzlies contest, initially planned for Wednesday, April 1, has been rescheduled to Thursday, March 12 with a 7:00 PM local tip-off (8:00 PM ET)
Additional Schedule Adjustments
Beyond the major rescheduling, the league also modified start times for two games on Monday:
- The Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets game will now tip off at 3:00 PM ET instead of the originally scheduled 7:00 PM ET
- The Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks matchup has been moved to 1:30 PM ET instead of 7:30 PM ET
These afternoon starts were implemented to accommodate the challenging weather conditions and ensure safer travel for teams and officials.
Community Impact and Additional Postponement
In Milwaukee, food that had been prepared for the postponed game was donated to local shelters, demonstrating how the weather disruptions affected broader community resources. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies are scheduled to travel to Houston to face the Rockets on Monday as they continue their adjusted schedule.
Separately from the weather-related issues, the NBA also postponed a Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game on Saturday following a tragic incident in Minneapolis. The league made this decision to prioritize community safety and security after a federal officer's deadly shooting of a man in a commercial district less than two miles from the Timberwolves' home arena.
Following this tragedy, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and players addressed the team's grief and the community's concerns. Many members of the NBA community expressed their thoughts after the death of a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was fatally shot during a confrontation with federal authorities in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The NBA's proactive scheduling adjustments reflect the league's commitment to player safety and operational continuity amid challenging weather conditions and community events. Dozens of games were rescheduled earlier in the week in anticipation of the storm, demonstrating the extensive planning required to manage such widespread disruptions to the professional basketball calendar.
