Flashback to last week’s international basketball scene

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks 111-99 in the first NBA preseason game of the season in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns’ 20 points in just 17 minutes and 16 points from Naz Reid.

For the Timberwolves, who never trailed and had leads of up to 29, Luka Garza and Shake Milton each scored 12 points.

For Dallas, the Croatian forward Luka Doncic scored 25 points in 17 minutes during the first half, and Jaden Hardy added 13.

Anthony Edwards of Minnesota did not play at all, as did the majority of each team’s star players in the second half. He was detained because of an ankle problem.

The second game, which will take place on Saturday before the teams depart for the United States, was the first of two that the teams will play in Abu Dhabi.

NBA players have visited Abu Dhabi three times in the past 12 months, including this trip. The NBA sent Atlanta and Milwaukee to the UAE for a pair of preseason games last year, and several NBA players took part in a series of games there prior to this summer’s World Cup, which featured the USA, Greece, and eventual World Cup champion Germany.