ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The NBA returned to the Persian Gulf for the third straight season on Friday, and its preseason schedule for the 2023-24 season began with a 107-103 win by the Boston Celtics over the Denver Nuggets in a matchup of the two youngest champion clubs.

The Celtics and Nuggets will finish their two-game set in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Denver sat out its starters in the second half and Boston sat out four of its five starters after halftime, with the exception of Luke Kornet. The teams fielded a combined 36 players – 18 apiece.

Payton Pritchard scored a game-high 21 points for Boston, going 20 of 61 from 3-point range. The Celtics' trio of Olympic gold medalists from the Paris Games this summer – Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White – combined for 25 points and Jaylen Brown had eight for Boston.

Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 14 points for Denver. Russell Westbrook had 12 points in his first game with the Nuggets, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 12 points and Jamal Murray – who was on the bench in street clothes at the end of the game – scored three points in 15 minutes.

The NBA signed a deal with tourism officials in Abu Dhabi in 2021 to send teams there for preseason trips; The series began in 2022 with Milwaukee and Atlanta, followed last year by Dallas and Minnesota.

USA Basketball has played in Abu Dhabi each of the past two summers, as well as as part of its preparations for the 2023 Basketball World Cup in the Philippines and the Paris Games.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA