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NBA teams play exhibition games in Europe

This fall will see a series of exhibition games between NBA teams and top Euroleague Basketball teams. After the U.S. team has suffered defeats in the past several international competitions, it is now the teams` turn to take on European challenges. But it seems that at this early stage in training, the NBA teams see this at least as much as a chance to visit European cities as it is a basketball challenge.

Four NBa teams ? the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and San Antonio Spurs ? will play exhibition games in seven cities and five countries over the next week plus. The 76ers met Spanish team Barcelona, the Clippers played in Moscow against local CSKA and against Khimki. The spurs will take on Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv and more.

The four teams will also host 15 community events as part of the league`s efforts of recent years outside of North America to create places where kids and families can live, learn or play. As a sign for the international aspect of the game, for some on the NBA teams the trip to Europe is a return home. It is so for Tony Parker of San Antonio who is back in France, Phoenix suns coach D`Antoni who is showing his players around his Italy, and others.