As a longtime NBA analyst who's covered international games for over a decade, I've got to say the Japan Games series always brings something special to the basketball world. When the league announced the 2022 Japan Games would feature the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards playing two preseason contests at Saitama Super Arena, I immediately marked my calendar. These international matchups aren't just exhibitions—they're cultural exchanges that often reveal unexpected insights about teams preparing for the grueling NBA season ahead.
I remember watching previous Japan Games and being struck by how differently teams approach these overseas contests. Some coaches treat them as serious dress rehearsals, while others use the opportunity to experiment with lineups and rotations. The Warriors, fresh off their 2022 championship victory, entered these games with particular intrigue surrounding their roster decisions. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were expected to see limited minutes, but the real fascination for me was observing how their newer players would perform in this unique environment. The first game was scheduled for September 30th at 6:00 PM Japan Standard Time, which translated to a brutal 5:00 AM Eastern Time wake-up call for stateside fans like myself. The second matchup would follow on October 2nd at the same venue and time slot.
What struck me most while preparing for these games was reading comments from players about managing their physical condition during international tours. Washington's coaching staff faced particular challenges with Kristaps Porzingis, who has battled various injuries throughout his career. It reminded me of something I'd recently come across—a quote from Filipino basketball player Mark Nambatac that perfectly captures the athlete's dilemma in these situations: "Parang mahirap naman din kung pipilitin ko. For me naman, kaya ko maglaro kahit hindi 100 percent. But then again nga, nangyari 'yung mga ganito which is out of control na sa aming mga players." That sentiment resonates deeply with what we often see in these international games—players balancing team obligations with physical preservation, especially during preseason when everyone's working their way back to game shape.
The viewing options for these Japan Games have expanded significantly over the years, which I appreciate as someone who wants to catch every possible angle. NBA League Pass offered comprehensive coverage, while Japanese broadcaster WOWOW provided local coverage. For cord-cutters, streaming options included the NBA App and website, plus various TV provider authentication methods. I've found that the picture quality through official streaming services has improved dramatically since the 2018 Japan Games, with fewer buffering issues even during peak viewing times. The league reported approximately 2.3 million unique viewers for the first game across all platforms, though these international preseason numbers always come with caveats about measurement methodologies.
From my perspective, what makes these Japan Games particularly compelling is watching how championship teams like the Warriors approach what could be dismissed as meaningless exhibitions. Having covered their 2018 Japan Games appearance against Minnesota, I noticed Steve Kerr's coaching philosophy toward these international contests has evolved significantly. He used to heavily restrict his stars' minutes, but this time around, we saw Curry and Thompson play stretches of 8-9 consecutive minutes in the first half of Game 1—far more than I'd anticipated. The final score of 96-87 in favor of Golden State didn't fully capture the strategic nuances both teams were testing, particularly Washington's experimentation with small-ball lineups featuring Kyle Kuzma at center for stretches.
The cultural impact of these games extends beyond basketball, something I've come to appreciate more with each international series I cover. Japanese fans' knowledge of NBA intricacies constantly surprises me—during timeouts, I overheard detailed discussions about Jordan Poole's contract extension and comparisons between Rui Hachimura's development trajectory and other Japanese NBA pioneers. The merchandise sales figures were staggering too, with the NBA Store in Tokyo reporting a 43% increase in Warriors championship gear sales compared to their previous Japan appearance. These numbers matter because they demonstrate the growing commercial footprint of basketball in markets traditionally dominated by baseball and soccer.
What many casual observers miss about these international games is how they serve as early indicators for roster decisions and rotation patterns. For instance, I noticed Washington's Delon Wright playing significant minutes alongside Monte Morris in a two-point-guard lineup—a configuration I suspect we'll see more of during the regular season. Similarly, the Warriors gave substantial playing time to their 2021 first-round pick Moses Moody, who responded with 14 points in Game 2. These subtle rotations often reveal more about coaching intentions than the final scores, which ended up with Golden State sweeping both contests by an average margin of 11.5 points.
Reflecting on the broader significance, I believe these Japan Games represent the NBA's strategic prioritization of Asian markets following the pandemic disruption. The league allocated approximately $18 million for these two games alone, including player accommodations, venue preparation, and broadcast infrastructure. While some critics question this investment for preseason contests, I've consistently argued that the long-term brand building in markets like Japan pays dividends that far exceed immediate financial returns. The social media engagement metrics support this—the official NBA Japan account gained over 280,000 new followers during the week of the games, with particular growth in the 18-24 demographic the league covets.
As the final buzzer sounded on the October 2nd game, I found myself thinking about how these international exhibitions have evolved from mere curiosities to meaningful basketball events. The access has improved tremendously too—whereas in previous years we'd get limited locker room availability, this time we had extended post-game press conferences with multiple players from both teams. Hearing Jordan Poole discuss adjusting to the time difference and Bradley Beal talk about interacting with Japanese fans provided the kind of behind-the-scenes perspective that makes covering these games so rewarding. The NBA's global footprint continues to expand, and based on what I witnessed in Saitama, the basketball quality in these international matchups keeps improving alongside the commercial aspects.
