The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are separated by a 90-minute Amtrak ride, but they’re ushering in the NBA preseason some 6,000 miles away. Pro basketball’s preseason officially begins Thursday with the Knicks and Sixers on Yas Island. If you feel a bit disoriented, fear not — everything is explained below.

NBA Abu Dhabi Games schedule
Dates: Oct. 2 and 4
Venue: Etihad Arena — Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

GameTime (ET)TVStream

76ers vs. Knicks
(preseason)

Noon, Thu.

NBA TV

Knicks vs. 76ers
(preseason)

11 a.m., Sat.

NBA TV

The games are also available on NBA League Pass and on MSG for in-market Knicks fans.

Has the NBA played international preseason games before?

Yup, they’ve been going on for decades now. Exhibition matches were set around Asia and Europe throughout the 1980s; they expanded to the Caribbean and Latin America by the early ’90s as the NBA strengthened its international reach. The whole overseas series (oversea-ries? Did David Stern reserve that?) was rebranded as “NBA Global Games” in 2013.

These Abu Dhabi scrimmages are one of four international exports scheduled for this preseason. The New Orleans Pelicans will play a pair of games in Melbourne, the first time an NBA team has played in Australia. Canadians Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) and RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors) travel to Vancouver on Monday. Next weekend, the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets have two tuneups in Macau, the Chinese territory and “casino capital of the world.”

There’s also a one-off in Puerto Rico, with the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat meeting up in San Juan on Saturday night. It’s still in a U.S. territory, so it’s not part of the “Global Games” series, but there will be a special feeling in the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

Regular-season games have been played in Paris and Mexico City in recent years. Victor Wembanyama got a French homecoming of sorts this past January. There are three passport stampers for the 2025-26 regular season. The Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons head to Mexico City on Nov. 1, starring next-gen ascendants Cooper Flagg and Cade Cunningham. In January, the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies do a joint run from Berlin to London (any tips for traveling with an ex? Asking for Desmond Bane).

How long does the preseason last?

The preseason starts this Thursday and runs through Oct. 17. Each team plays a handful of games. Most of those will be available on NBA League Pass, though some have ESPN and Peacock broadcasts. The Knicks have three other matchups after the Abu Dhabi trip, all at home in Madison Square Garden. The Sixers have two more dates, also at home in Xfinity Mobile Arena.

The regular season begins Tuesday, Oct. 21, trumpeting an NBA return to NBC that was more than two decades in the making. That opening night doubleheader features the Houston Rockets at the Oklahoma City Thunder (Kevin Durant back in OKC as the defending champs get their rings), followed by the Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers (Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler versus LeBron James and Luka Dončić).

What is the league’s relationship with the UAE?

An official agreement with the country’s tourism department was made in 2021, with the inaugural “Abu Dhabi Games” taking place in October 2022. Last year’s games showcased the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets, who were then the NBA’s two most recent champions. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each played 19 minutes in that opener and 23 minutes in the second matchup, while the Nuggets starters, including Nikola Jokić, were on the floor for about 15 and 18 minutes, respectively. The Knicks and 76ers were selected as this year’s participants by the league office.

Last year, the newly formed in-season tournament was renamed to the Emirates NBA Cup after the league reached a multiyear deal with the UAE-based airline. Emirates logo patches were also added to referee jerseys last season.

Critics accuse the partnership of sportswashing. Supporters say it’s helping to cultivate an international “hoop dream.”

The New York Knicks’ offseason

How does the franchise commemorate its best vibes in generations and its first conference finals berth in 25 years? By firing the head coach, of course. Tom Thibodeau was sent packing and Mike Brown was brought in as his replacement. For the roster itself, Leon Rose’s front office extended Mikal Bridges, then brought in Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele for bench depth. While their competitors in the East are reeling from bad breaks, the Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns All-Star pairing has unvarnished NBA Finals hopes.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason

The nightmare crashout is sealed away, and what’s past is prologue for a James Joyce-length book about “The Process.” Joel Embiid and Paul George were shelved by injuries last season, and Tyrese Maxey was overextended on a sinking ship. The Sixers brought in elastic prospect VJ Edgecombe with the third pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. A clean bill of health for their big three would set up an immediate bounce back for this star-crossed squad.

The full preseason international slate

All times ET

Thursday, Oct. 2
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks, noon in Abu Dhabi

Friday, Oct. 3
Melbourne United vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 5:30 a.m. in Melbourne

Saturday, Oct. 4
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 11 a.m. in Abu Dhabi
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 11 p.m. in Melbourne

Monday, Oct. 6
Denver Nuggets vs. Toronto Raptors, 10 p.m. in Vancouver

Friday, Oct. 10
Phoenix Suns vs. Brooklyn Nets, 8 a.m. in Macau

Sunday, Oct. 12
Brooklyn Nets vs. Phoenix Suns, 7 a.m. in Macau

Updated NBA odds

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(Photo of Mikal Bridges and Tyrese Maxey: Al Bello / Getty Images)