A massive winter storm has paralyzed NBA travel across the United States, forcing the league to postpone key matchups including the Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets at Memphis Grizzlies. Dangerous icy conditions in Texas and Tennessee left teams grounded after multiple failed flight attempts, prompting the NBA to prioritize safety and reshuffle the upcoming schedule. The disruptions mark one of the most significant weather-related impacts on the 2025-26 NBA season.

Winter Storm Fern Grounds NBA Operations

The severe weather system, named Winter Storm Fern, unleashed a dangerous mix of sleet, freezing rain, and snow across the Southern and Midwestern United States on Sunday, January 25, 2026. The storm's intensity rendered air travel virtually impossible in key hubs, leading to a cascade of logistical failures for NBA teams attempting to navigate the busy January schedule.

League officials announced the decision to postpone the Mavericks-Bucks and Nuggets-Grizzlies games just hours before their scheduled tip-offs. In a statement, the NBA cited "hazardous travel conditions and the safety of players, fans, and staff" as the primary drivers for the cancellations. No rescheduled dates have been announced yet, leaving teams to adjust their preparations on the fly.

Mavericks Stuck in Dallas: The Travel Nightmare

For the Dallas Mavericks, the travel chaos began immediately following their Saturday night home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. According to team sources, the Mavericks attempted to depart for Milwaukee late Saturday evening, but deteriorating conditions at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport forced the team to abort the flight. Freezing rain had already begun to coat the runways, making a safe takeoff impossible.

The team made a second attempt to fly out on Sunday morning, hoping for a break in the weather. However, with ice accumulating on aircraft and runways, the flight was grounded once again. The Mavericks were scheduled to face the Bucks at Fiserv Forum at 6:00 p.m. CT, but with the team still stuck in Texas by mid-afternoon, the league officially called off the contest.

In a gesture of goodwill, the food prepared for the game at Fiserv Forum was donated to local shelters in the Milwaukee area, ensuring it didn't go to waste. The postponement offers a brief respite for the Bucks, who were preparing to play without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a lingering calf injury.

Memphis Ice Storm Halts Nuggets-Grizzlies

While the Mavericks were stuck at home, the Denver Nuggets faced a different challenge in Memphis. Reports confirm that the Nuggets and the officiating crew had successfully arrived in Memphis, but the conditions on the ground in Tennessee proved too dangerous for the game to proceed.

The National Weather Service in Memphis issued warnings urging residents to "avoid travel" as power lines sagged under the weight of ice and tree limbs blocked major roadways. With widespread power outages reported across the city and roads turning into ice rinks, the NBA determined that hosting a game at FedExForum would pose an unacceptable risk to fans and stadium staff.

The postponement was announced approximately three hours before the scheduled tip-off. The Nuggets, now facing their own logistical headache, are tentatively planning to fly out as soon as the airport reopens, with a home game against the Detroit Pistons looming on Tuesday.

Schedule Ripples: Monday Games Moved Up

The impact of Winter Storm Fern is extending beyond Sunday's slate. Proactively managing the risk of further travel disruptions and worsening evening conditions, the NBA has adjusted the start times for two games scheduled for Monday, January 26.

  • Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets: Moved to 3:00 p.m. ET (originally 7:00 p.m.)
  • Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks: Moved to 1:30 p.m. ET (originally 7:30 p.m.)

These adjustments aim to allow teams and fans to travel during daylight hours when temperatures are slightly higher and road conditions are more manageable. The league continues to monitor the storm's path, and further changes could be announced if the system stalls over the East Coast.

Player Safety and Compressed Schedules

This weekend's cancellations highlight the fragility of the NBA's dense 82-game schedule when confronted with extreme weather. For teams like the Mavericks, who are chasing playoff positioning in the Western Conference, a postponed game adds to a future schedule backlog that may require playing on consecutive nights later in the season.

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd had foreshadowed the potential for disruptions earlier in the week, noting that the forecast looked ominous. "It's just something the league will have to decide on as we go forward," Kidd remarked when asked about the storm's potential impact. For now, the priority remains the safety of everyone involved, from the superstars on the court to the support staff ensuring operations run smoothly.