International club teams to play nine games in USA

The NBA preseason will feature nine games involving international teams, a record for most ever played on North American soil in one preseason.

  Three international teams have agreed to participate: Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, both from Israel, and Brazil’s Flamengo.

  Macacabi Tel Aviv will play the Cleveland Cavaliers Oct. 5 and the Brooklyn Nets Oct. 7. Flamengo will play the Phoenix Suns Oct. 8, the Orlando Magic on Oct. 15 and the Memphis Gritzzlies Oct. 17.

Maccabi Haifa will play the Washington Wizards Oct. 15, the Portland Trail Blazers Oct. 17, the Sacramento Kings Oct. 18 and the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 22.

  The Cavaliers’ David Blatt was head coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv before he left to accept the NBA  coaching job this summer.