Two-plus years after they faced the Hornets in Paris for a regular-season tilt, the Bucks will partake in two preseason games in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Their opponent will be the Atlanta Hawks.
This is the first venture into the Middle East for the NBA, which announced last November that they’d host game action in the UAE. Both matchups will go down at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, a building that’s barely a year old and part of a massive tourism project. UFC held a number of events on the island dating back to 2010, so they have some experience with foreign leagues.