The ongoing winter storm around the United States has left millions without power and even more under several inches of snow and ice. Grocery stores have been left with empty shelves and emergency services are at capacity to help around the country.
The storm has also had an effect on sports leagues, and the NBA has made the decision to postpone two games this weekend. The Denver Nuggets-Memphis Grizzlies game in Tennessee was the first to be canceled, as a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain took hold of the city.
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) January 25, 2026
The freezing rain has caused power outages and road closures in the greater Memphis area, and local authorities have requested that drivers stay off local roads with the accumulated precipitation freezing overnight on Saturday into Sunday.
Second Game Postponed in Milwaukee
The second game to be postponed was between the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks in Wisconsin. The Mavericks were unable to fly into Milwaukee on Saturday or Sunday, and the league stepped in to postpone the game.
UPDATE: Our game tonight at Fiserv Forum has been postponed due to the Mavericks inability to leave Dallas as a result of inclement weather in the area.
The date for the rescheduled game will be announced at a later time. Tonight’s tickets will be valid for the new game date.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 25, 2026
No replacement dates for either game have been set, with the Nuggets set to meet the Pistons at home on Tuesday. The Grizzlies are also set to visit the Rockets in Houston on Monday. College basketball games and games in the NBA’s G-League were also postponed or canceled while falling in the storm’s path.
Tennessee and Ole Miss will play their nationally ranked women’s basketball game at a different date following the weather in Oxford on Monday.
Following on the Grizzlies postponement, Tulane’s game against Memphis has also been postponed. A men’s basketball game between Tennessee and Georgia has also been pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday, owing to the inclement weather.
National Impact of Intense Winter Storm
Nationally, over 16,000 flights have been canceled and more than 24 states have issued emergency declarations. According to the National Weather Service, “communities from the southern Plains to the Northeast will contend with bitterly cold temperatures that will hamper cleanup efforts, prolonging infrastructure impacts and hazardous travel into at least early next week,”
School schedules have already been altered for the upcoming week in many states and larger city districts, including New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville, Cincinnati and Columbus – all of whom have canceled in-person learning amid the storm.
Some areas are also dealing with a potential tornado threat on top of the snow, ice and other treacherous conditions. The Mobile, Alabama branch of the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch on Sunday for parts of three different states – Alabama, Florida and Georgia – until the early evening.
