NBA Europe Live Tour (2006-2012)

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The NBA Europe Live Tour (also known as NBA Europe Live) was a series of annual basketball exhibition tours that featured teams from the NBA and teams from Europe's top professional leagues on European soil. It was launched by the National Basketball Association and the Euroleague Basketball and it would take place during the NBA's pre-season in September of October and lasted from 2006 until 2012.

Contents

Most of the European teams were playing in the ULEB-inititated EuroLeague and Europe's 2nd-tier level EuroCup. The games of the NBA Europe Live Tour Tour were played by the NBA rules. Many legendary players like Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony, Paul Pierce, Allen Iverson, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili have featured in the series from 2006 until 2012.

History

Kevin Garnett participated with the Boston Celtics in the 2007 edition. Kevin Garnett 2008-01-13.jpg
Kevin Garnett participated with the Boston Celtics in the 2007 edition.

On June 14, 2005, NBA and Euroleague Basketball annonced the launch of the NBA Europe Tour as part of a 2-year partnership agreement with Electronic Arts. [1] The series' website (as www.nba.com/europelive) went live in December 2005.

In October 2006, four NBA teams travelled to different European countries to conduct their first week of training camp overseas: the Philadelphia 76ers in Barcelona, Spain; the Los Angeles Clippers in Moscow, Russia; the San Antonio Spurs in France; and the Phoenix Suns in Treviso, Italy. The 76ers and the Suns also participated in the Cologne tournament which was on by the Philadelphia 76ers. It was the first time since the last McDonald's Championship in 1999 that NBA teams faced top European clubs in a tournament. The final game of the Tour in Barcelona attracted 16,236 fans which was the edition's record (Philadelphia 76ers against Barcelona). [2]

The 2008 edition featured only four NBA teams playing against each other in European cities. In 2009 the EuroLeague American Tour started alongside the NBA Europe Live with Euroleague teams touring the USA to face NBA teams.

There was no tour in 2011 due to the NBA lock-out [3] [4] and the series resumed in 2012 for its final edition. [5]

Editions

YearHost countriesTeam with best recordRecord
2006 Germany, Russia, France, Italy, and Spain Flag of the United States.svg San Antonio Spurs
Flag of Russia.svg PBC CSKA Moscow 		2-0
2007 England, Italy, Spain and Turkey Flag of the United States.svg Boston Celtics 2-0
2008 England, France, Germany and Spain Flag of the United States.svg New Jersey Nets
Flag of the United States.svg New Orleans Hornets 		2-0
2009 England, and Spain Flag of the United States.svg Indiana Pacers
Flag of the United States.svg Phoenix Suns
Flag of the United States.svg Philadelphia 76ers 		2-0
2010 England, France, and Spain Flag of the United States.svg Minnesota Timberwolves 2-0
2012 Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Spain Flag of the United States.svg Boston Celtics 2-0

Topscorers

YearPlayerPointsGamesTeam
2006 Flag of the United States.svg Allen Iverson 573 Philadelphia 76ers
2007 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Bargnani 493 Toronto Raptors
2008 Flag of the United States.svg Dwyane Wade 392 Miami Heat
2009 Flag of the United States.svg Carmelo Anthony 622 Denver Nuggets
2010 Flag of the United States.svg Flag of Israel.svg Amar'e Stoudemire 432 New York Knicks
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Green 332 Boston Celtics

Teams with most participations

ClubParticipationsEditions
Flag of Spain.svg FC Barcelona Regal 32006, 2011, 2012
Flag of the United States.svg San Antonio Spurs 22009, 2012
Flag of the United States.svg Phoenix Suns 22006, 2009
Flag of the United States.svg Memphis Grizzlies 22010, 2012
Flag of the United States.svg Philadelphia 76ers 22006, 2009
Flag of the United States.svg Boston Celtics 22007, 2012
Flag of the United States.svg Los Angeles Clippers 22006, 2009
Flag of the United States.svg Minnesota Timberwolves 22007, 2010
Flag of the United States.svg New York Knicks 22009, 2010
Flag of Italy.svg Olimpia Milano 22010, 2012
Flag of Israel.svg Maccabi Tel Aviv 22006, 2009
Flag of Italy.svg Lottomatica Roma 22006, 2007
Flag of Spain.svg Real Madrid 22007. 2009

See also

References

  1. ↑ NBA AND EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ANNOUNCE NBA EUROPE LIVE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS (2005) - gamesindustry.biz
  2. ↑ Final Attendance From NBA Europe Live Tour Games - sportsbusinessjournal.com
  3. ↑ "NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement Ratified and Signed". NBA. July 30, 2005. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010.
  4. ↑ "N.B.A. and Union Can't Agree on Exactly What's at Issue". The New York Times. June 16, 2005. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  5. ↑ (2012) NBA Europe Live 2012 schedule announced - nba.com

Sources

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