The Knicks capped off their two Abu Dhabi NBA pre-season games with a strong showing, led by OG Anunoby’s 13-point debut, Mitchell Robinson’s dominance on the boards, and a confident 14-point performance from Jalen Brunson, helping secure back-to-back wins.
The atmosphere inside Etihad Arena was electric, with thousands of fans and celebrities in attendance. Notable attendees included British musician Noel Robinson, Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh, British rapper Central Cee, American actress and singer Victoria Justice, Academy Award-winning actor Adrien Brody, K-pop idols Chenle and WINWIN, basketball streetball legend The Professor, UFC heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane, and Indian rapper Badshah. Arabic talents such as Siilawy, Tul8te, Nour Al Ghandour, and Maguy Bou Ghos also attended, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the game.
Reflecting on the team’s time in Abu Dhabi, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said: “It was great. There were a couple of things I really wanted to achieve and enjoyed from both a coaching perspective and a basketball standpoint. We had a really good week of work, and from tonight’s game we saw a lot of positive things, including several of the areas we’ve been focusing on improving.”
Knicks head coach Mike Brown added on the Abu Dhabi experience: “It was a great trip. We really enjoyed it – the people here were very welcoming, and we couldn’t have asked for a better environment to spend time with our families and with each other. I thought we got a lot out of the trip. Now we’ll go home, regroup, and keep trying to get a little better every day.”
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson said on playing in Abu Dhabi: “Playing here was great. The experience was amazing. Seeing the fans and being able to do what we do on the court while also having fun off the court made it a really special bonding experience for us. I’m just happy we were able to come away with a couple of wins.”
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games continue to draw attention to the emirate as a growing hub for world-class sports and entertainment. The event is part of a wider year-round calendar of global events taking place in the emirate. This year’s edition has once again attracted fans from around the world, creating a strong sense of community and further establishing Abu Dhabi on the global basketball stage.
