Portland Trail Blazers Face London Lions in Historic NBA Preseason Game
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
The Portland Trail Blazers will play the London Lions in a historic preseason game, the first between an NBA team and a British club. The game features Israeli player Deni Avdija and former Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Keenan Evans. The London Lions face a demanding schedule, playing in Portland for only 48 hours before a EuroCup game. This marks a significant step for the Lions, who are also seeking EuroLeague membership.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Portland Trail Blazers will host London Lions in a historic NBA preseason game Tuesday.
- The game marks the first time an NBA team plays a club from Great Britain.
- Israeli player Deni Avdija will face former Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Keenan Evans.
- London Lions face a tight schedule, playing in Portland for only 48 hours.
- The Lions are also pursuing EuroLeague membership and wear Jordan Brand uniforms.
The Portland Trail Blazers are set to host the London Lions in a preseason game at the Moda Center on Tuesday night, marking the first-ever encounter between an NBA team and a club from Great Britain. The game features Israeli forward Deni Avdija for the Trail Blazers and former Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Keenan Evans, who is on loan from Zalgiris, for the Lions.
Portland coach Tautvydas Sabonis, son of Blazers legend Arvydas Sabonis, acknowledged that the timing during the preseason was not ideal but expressed his anticipation for the historic matchup. For the London Lions, the game presents a challenging schedule as they will only be in Portland for 48 hours before returning to Europe for a EuroCup game against Frankfurt on Thursday, where they currently hold a 1-1 record.
In addition to facing Evans, Avdija and the Trail Blazers will also play against Tarik Phillip, a former Hapoel Jerusalem player now with the Lions. Phillip shared his excitement about the game, noting that his daughter will be in attendance to watch him play for the first time.
The London Lions are undertaking ambitious moves this season, becoming the first British team to wear Jordan Brand uniforms and applying for a spot in the EuroLeague. This game follows Portland's preseason opener, where they defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-118, with Deni Avdija scoring 23 points in 21 minutes.
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