The NBA kicked off its 2023-24 preseason in the Persian Gulf on Friday, marking the third consecutive year of this initiative. The Boston Celtics emerged victorious against the Denver Nuggets, winning 107-103 in a clash between the two most recent championship teams. The Celtics and Nuggets will conclude their two-game series in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. In a strategic move, Denver rested its starters for the second half, while Boston sat four of its five starters, with Luke Kornet being the exception. Both teams utilized a total of 36 players—18 from each side.
Key Highlights
Payton Pritchard led the scoring for Boston, finishing with a game-high 21 points. The Celtics struggled with their three-point shooting, hitting 20 of 61 attempts. Notably, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White—who recently won Olympic gold in Paris—combined for 25 points, while Jaylen Brown added eight. For Denver, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic contributed 14 points, while Russell Westbrook scored 12 in his debut with the team. Michael Porter Jr. also tallied 12 points, and Jamal Murray managed three points in 15 minutes before sitting out the remainder of the game.
NBA's Abu Dhabi tie-up
The NBA's partnership with Abu Dhabi began in 2021, aiming to promote basketball and tourism in the region. This series follows previous preseason games held in Abu Dhabi, including matchups between the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks in 2022 and the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves in 2023. Additionally, USA Basketball has participated in summer training camps in Abu Dhabi, preparing for events like the 2023 Basketball World Cup and the Paris Olympics.
The Abu Dhabi Games are one of four international events on the NBA calendar for the upcoming season, alongside the NBA Mexico City Game 2024, NBA Canada Series, and NBA Paris Games 2025. This year marks the third series of games held in the UAE, showcasing two exciting preseason matchups between the Celtics and Nuggets. The two preseason games between Boston and Denver will take place on October 4 and October 6, starting at 12 p.m. ET and 10 a.m. ET, respectively. Both games will occur at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the same venue that hosted the 2022 and 2023 editions of The NBA Abu Dhabi Games.
