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Bucks, Hawks to play 2 preseason games in Abu Dhabi in October

Francois Nel / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks will play two preseason games in October in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the league announced Tuesday.

The games are scheduled for Oct. 6 and Oct. 8 at Etihad Arena on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island. They will be the first NBA games played in the UAE.

The league announced plans to stage games in Abu Dhabi in November. It also planned to incorporate fan events featuring current and former players, resources for youth basketball such as NBA FIT Clinics and Jr. NBA Leagues, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event.

There have been 76 NBA preseason games outside North America since 1984, with the most recent in 2019 when the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers squared off in China. The Bucks and Charlotte Hornets also played a regular-season contest in Paris in 2020.

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