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Raptors, Nets head to London
Source: Agencies |
March 3, 2011, Thursday
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IN a season to forget, this weekend could be one to remember for the Toronto Raptors as they travel to London to take on the New Jersey Nets in the first National Basketball Association regular season games staged in Europe.
With the Raptors (17-44) and Nets (17-43) anchored near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and all but out of playoff contention, the games on Friday and Saturday at the O2 Arena in London will have little significance other than marking another milestone in the NBA's expansion plans.
The London games will not feature the creme-de-la-creme of the NBA with the Raptors beating the New Orleans Hornets 96-90 on Tuesday for just their fourth win in 24 games while the Nets head to Europe mired in a six-game losing slump.
They will, however, bring plenty of international content that the NBA hopes European fans will be able to identify with.
"It's a great chance for brand building but we have been building our brand in Europe for many years with the acquisition of so many foreign players," Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo said. "We've always been very in favor of the concept."
Italian Andrea Bargnani is the centerpiece of the Toronto lineup that includes Spaniard Jose Calderon, Brazilian Leandro Barbosa, Frenchman Alexis Ajinca and Lithuanian Linas Kleiza.
With the Raptors (17-44) and Nets (17-43) anchored near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and all but out of playoff contention, the games on Friday and Saturday at the O2 Arena in London will have little significance other than marking another milestone in the NBA's expansion plans.
The London games will not feature the creme-de-la-creme of the NBA with the Raptors beating the New Orleans Hornets 96-90 on Tuesday for just their fourth win in 24 games while the Nets head to Europe mired in a six-game losing slump.
They will, however, bring plenty of international content that the NBA hopes European fans will be able to identify with.
"It's a great chance for brand building but we have been building our brand in Europe for many years with the acquisition of so many foreign players," Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo said. "We've always been very in favor of the concept."
Italian Andrea Bargnani is the centerpiece of the Toronto lineup that includes Spaniard Jose Calderon, Brazilian Leandro Barbosa, Frenchman Alexis Ajinca and Lithuanian Linas Kleiza.
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