The 17-time NBA champions will take on the Denver Nuggets in October.
In what promises to be highlights on the capital’s sporting calendar, the Boston Celtics will face the Denver Nuggets later this year, playing two pre-season games on Friday, 4 October and Sunday, 6 October. The result of a partnership between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the adrenaline-packed showcase will see two leading teams on the court — like the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics have won a total of 17 NBA Championships. The Denver Nuggets, meanwhile, celebrated their first championship win in franchise history after defeating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in June 2023.
“We’re excited to bring two of the best teams in the NBA to Abu Dhabi in the Celtics and the Nuggets,” says Mark Tatum, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer. “There is incredible momentum around basketball in the UAE and across the Middle East, and we believe these games as well as our year-round grassroots development and fan engagement efforts will be a catalyst for the continued growth of the game in the region.”
The Celtics currently feature five-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, three-time NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown, 2021 NBA champion Jrue Holiday, and 2018 NBA All-Star Kristaps Porziņģis. Holiday participated in the inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games in 2022 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Nuggets currently feature two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player and six-time NBA All-Star Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.
Presented by ADQ, the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 will air live in the UAE, across the Middle East and around the world, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media, and social media. We’re told that ticket sales information and the venue for the games will be announced at a later date. In the meantime, fans can register their interest in receiving more information by visiting nba.com/abudhabi. Elsewhere, special ticket packages offering premium access, VIP experiences, hospitality and hotel accommodation will be available for purchase at nbaexperiences.com/nba-abu-dhabi-games-2024.
Incidentally, the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 are part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that features pre-season NBA Global Games, the Jr NBA Abu Dhabi League, a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event. It also sees DCT Abu Dhabi, under Experience Abu Dhabi – the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE’s capital – serve as the Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and China.
“Our collaboration with the NBA supports our strategy of empowering youth in the UAE, the region and beyond,” explains HE Saleh Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. “With the event now in its third year, we are excited to once again host the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024, presented by ADQ, and build on our track record of hosting top-tier sporting events.” NBA games have aired in the UAE since the 1987-88 season, and fans can now follow the association on Instagram, Snapchat, and X (@nbaarabic) for the latest updates, news and content in Arabic. You can also shop official merchandise at nbastoreme.com and the NBA Store at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi.
DSCVR: NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024, Abu Dhabi. @nba @nbaarabic
