The NBA announced on Wednesday that the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are the two teams that will play in the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 this October. This year’s NBA Abu Dhabi Games is the third edition of the series, and for 2024 it will have two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic squaring off against five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum in a pair of preseason games that’ll be played Oct. 4 and Oct. 6, airing live throughout the United Arab Emirates and around the world.

Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner, said in a press release: “We’re excited to bring two of the best teams in the NBA to Abu Dhabi in the Celtics and the Nuggets. here 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.”   NBA games started airing in the United Arab Emirates during the 1987-88. The NBA said that broadcasts of Abu Dhabi preseason games will reach more than 200 countries and territories on TV, digital media and social media.

Celtics president Rich Gotham said in a news release that “the Boston Celtics have a rich history of international travel and countless fans worldwide, and we welcome this opportunity to play for NBA fans in Abu Dhabi. Basketball is a truly worldwide sport, and international events such as these can help inspire generations of fans across the globe.”

Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Korenke Sports & Entertainment, who operate the Nuggets, shared: “the Denver Nuggets organization couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to visit and play NBA games in Abu Dhabi this coming preseason. We look forward to this unique experience and being able to help expand the global reach of our great league.”

The defending champion Nuggets will host the Celtics at 10 p.m. EST Thursday in Denver.

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