Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers vs. Mikal Bridges, Nets to Play 2024 NBA Game in Paris
The Brooklyn Nets announced Wednesday that they will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA regular-season game in Paris on Jan. 11, 2024.
According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Nets general manager Sean Marks is looking forward to the trip overseas, saying:
"We're extremely excited to have the opportunity to compete in The NBA Paris Game 2024 and bring Nets basketball to an international stage. Our players and coaches will benefit greatly from the experience of immersing themselves in Paris's rich culture off the court."
Next year's clash between the Nets and Cavs will mark the third time an NBA regular-season contest has been played in Paris.
The first regular-season game in Paris saw the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets in 2020, and more recently the Chicago Bulls took down the Detroit Pistons in January.
Four preseason games have been played in Paris as well, including a 2008 meeting between the Miami Heat and the then-New Jersey Nets.
Like the games in 2020 and earlier this year, the Nets vs. Cavs contest will be played at Accor Arena, which will also be the venue for basketball games at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics.
While January will mark the first time the Cavaliers have ever played a regular-season game outside of the United States or Canada, the Nets are among the NBA's most experienced franchises in terms of international games.
Next season will mark their eighth international regular-season games after previously playing twice in Tokyo, three times in London and twice in Mexico City.
Few know what to expect out of the Nets next season on the heels of them trading the superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving prior to the 2022-23 NBA trade deadline.
Those deals helped Brooklyn land some key pieces both in terms of draft capital and players, including Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Nets managed to make the playoffs last season with a 45-37 record despite trading their stars, and Bridges' play was a big reason why, as he averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 27 games for Brooklyn.
Cleveland went 51-31 last season and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2018 after acquiring All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in an offseason trade.
Mitchell averaged a career-high 28.3 points per game last season to go along with 4.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds, and he figures to be the driving force behind the team's success again in 2023-24.
