The Atlanta Hawks have won the first NBA Abu Dhabi Games, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks, 123-113, at Etihad Arena on Thursday.
The game took place in front of a 18,000 seat sell-out crowd that turned out to see the first of two pre-season games between the squads.
Dejounte Murray led the Hawks with 25 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Trae Young had 22 points and De'Andre Hunter with 17. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 18 points and seven rebounds and Serge Ibaka had 15 points in a losing effort for the Bucks.
Although Atlanta stepped up in the final five minutes, it remained close between the two at halftime with the Hawks up 71-67, as Young led the scoring with 16 and two assists.
The third quarter began inwith the Hawks going on a run, stretching their lead to 14 points at one point, and gradually taking control of the game leading 101-94 heading into the fourth quarter.
Not to be outdone, though, the Bucks battled back to narrow the gap to three points before the Hawks regained control at 111-102 and forced their opponents into a timeout.
Atlanta, however, maintained their strong game in the last quarter to win the game.
Murray, in his first year with the Hawks after being traded from the San Antonio Spurs, had 19 points in the first half.
The teams play again at the Etihad Arena on Saturday night.
NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi sign multi-year partnership
Last year, the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi signed a multi-year partnership with the NBA to bring games to the region, starting with the pre-season games between the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks at Etihad Arena.
In addition to the pre-season games, the partnership includes the two teams coming together to expand basketball in the UAE and across the region. Junior NBA Leagues for boys and girls are set to launched at schools and academies throughout the Emirates, while NBA Fit clinics will encourage and promote health and wellness.
During a press conference held in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver shared his thoughts on the partnership.
"I think it's an opportunity to take another step forward here in terms of the game and the NBA. There's no substitute — I think we learned that during the pandemic — for being on the ground, for being with people," he said.
"Despite all the wonderful things that can happen through digital technology, there's something about having our presence here. I think for a lot of our players, many of whom have not traveled a lot, they get to see firsthand really what the Emirates and Abu Dhabi is all about. It's a very special occasion for us.
Fans who aren't able to make the games at Etihad Arena can visit the NBA District at Manarat Al Saadiyat, a week-long fan event that is running until Sunday.
“The basic premise here is that we want to inspire and connect people through the power of basketball,” George Aivazoglou, head of fan engagement and direct-to-consumer for the NBA for Europe and the Middle East, told The National.
“So obviously, we get to do that with something as big as a game, or two games, in this case. But we also know that there is only a finite number of fans we can bring into the arenas because then unfortunately, we can't fit one million fans there.”
Scroll the gallery below to see more images from NBA District at Manarat Al Saadiyat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Honeymoonish
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
West Asia rugby, season 2017/18 - Roll of Honour
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PRISCILLA
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Company%20profile
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Read more about the coronavirus
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
