Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez
The NBA has canceled Friday’s preseason game between the Orlando Magic and the New Orleans Pelicans because of concerns over Hurricane Milton hitting Florida. The game will not be rescheduled.
Magic Delay Return to Florida
Orlando, currently playing in San Antonio, was set to return home on Thursday. However, due to the storm, the Magic will remain in San Antonio for an extra day and fly back to Florida on Friday.
Storm Impacts Multiple Sports
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday night.
“There’s always things bigger than the game of basketball and that’s what we have to keep our perspective on,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Knowing that there’s families and homes and situations that are going through a tough time right now, we need to be mindful of that and conscious of it.”
This is the second NBA preseason game affected by the hurricane. Thursday’s game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks has moved to Oct. 16 for the same reason. The NHL also canceled a Friday preseason game in Tampa between the Lightning and the Nashville Predators, which had already faced a delay once due to Hurricane Helene.
“Stay safe Florida!” former Lightning star Steven Stamkos, who is entering his first season with Nashville, posted on social media Wednesday. “Thinking about all the amazing people in the Tampa area right now.”
The NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars have adjusted their plans due to the storm. They delayed their flight to London on Thursday and pushed back practice. The Jaguars will play the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and face the New England Patriots on Oct. 20 at Wembley Stadium.
Several college and high school events across Florida also faced cancellation or postponement. Forecasters expect heavy rain across much of the state.
Simone Biles Tour Continues Despite Storm
For now, two scheduled performances by Simone Biles and other Olympic gymnasts—part of the “Gold Over America Tour”—will go ahead as planned. The tour will stop in Sunrise on Friday and Orlando on Saturday. Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach plans to resume horse racing on Friday.
College Football Games Still On
In college football, the UCF-Cincinnati game in Orlando and the Memphis-South Florida game in Tampa, rescheduled for Saturday, are still on. Officials at both schools are monitoring the situation and will adjust if necessary after the storm passes.
Related Content: Hurricane Milton Forces Tampa Bay Lightning, Others to Change Plans
This report used information from ESPN.
