NBA fans in Japan can start the countdown. On Monday, the NBA and Rakuten, Inc. announced that the Toronto Raptors will play a pair of preseason games in Saitama City, Japan in October 2019. The Raptors will face the Houston Rockets in a pair of games slated to take place Tuesday, Oct. 8 and Thursday, Oct. 10 at the Saitama Super Arena. These games will be the league’s 13th and 14th games played in Japan.
“The NBA has a long history in Japan, along with a passionate and knowledgeable fanbase,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “With one of the world’s largest economies and a thriving sports culture, we see enormous opportunity for growth in Japan, and we are pleased to partner with Rakuten to continue our tradition of bringing the live, authentic game experience to Japanese fans.