NBA In Abu Dhabi: Jayson Tatum & Nikola Jokic Post Olympic Plan Can Harm Their Franchisee
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For the third edition of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games, the 17-time NBA champion Boston Celtics will take on the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets in two preseason games. While the venue information is yet to be disclosed, the pair will lock horns on Friday, October 4, and Sunday, October 6. However, while this is an extension of the league’s quest to expand its reach in the Middle East, the announcement does not bode well for the franchises involved.
As per Keith Smith of the Spotrac and Front Office Show, the Abu Dhabi games would mean an early opening of the training camps for the two teams. This comes after a grueling Olympic run this summer, which is expected to feature guys like Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokić in Paris. Both Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday are expected to represent Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics, while Jokić is planning to suit up for his native Serbia in the upcoming summer. As a result, this challenging schedule could leave the best players on both teams fatigued, potentially hampering their performance next season. “Good for the growth of the game and the NBA. Not great for Boston and Denver,” wrote Smith.
Boston and Denver headed to Abu Dhabi next preseason.
That means both will get a minor jump on opening training camp. And that's after an Olympics year for guys like Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokic.
Good for the growth of the game and the NBA. Not great for Boston and Denver.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 6, 2024
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The announcement comes just a day before the Denver Nuggets host the Boston Celtics for the final game of their series. In the first encounter of the season, the Nuggets pulled away with a 102-100 win over Boston on January 19.
Can the Boston Celtics even the season series?
This was a significant win since it snapped the Celtics’ unbeaten 27-game home record at TD Garden dating back to last season. The one-two punch of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray combined erupted for a combined 69 points in the game. On the other side of the court, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to shoot 15 of 43 for 35 points. However, the Boston Celtics will have a chance to redeem the loss and even the season series when they visit the Ball Arena on March 7. The Celtics will have even more motivation to get back in the winning column after the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their 11-game streak on Tuesday night.
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It won’t be easy for the C’s to snag a win against the Nuggets after the Phoenix Suns handed them a 117-107 loss, ending their six-game winning streak. In any case, buckle up because the showdown between these two heavyweights promises to be an exciting one—maybe even a glimpse into what the 2024 NBA Finals could look like!
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Written by:
Edited by:
Saumya Khanduja