NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that three top international teams, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa and Flamengo, will travel to the U.S. and Canada for nine preseason games against nine NBA teams this October.  The nine games are the most ever played by international teams on North American soil during one preseason.

The games will tip off with Maccabi Tel Aviv taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 5 at Quicken Loans Arena, followed by a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 7 at Barclays Center.

Flamengo, which plays its home games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will play the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 8 at US Airways Center and the Orlando Magic on Oct. 15 at Amway Center.  Flamengo concludes its trip against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 17 at FedExForum.

Maccabi Haifa, which plays its home games in Haifa, Israel, begins its trip versus the Washington Wizards on Oct. 15 at Verizon Center, followed by a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 17 at Moda Center and a game against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 18 at Sleep Train Arena.  Maccabi Haifa concludes its trip with an Oct. 22 game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is the reigning Euroleague champion, having defeated Real Madrid under the leadership of current Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach David Blatt.  With six European Championships, one Adriatic Championship, 51 Israeli Championships, 41 Israeli Cups, and five League Cups, Maccabi Tel Aviv is one of the most successful teams in the history of European basketball.  Maccabi Tel Aviv has played 20 games against NBA teams and was the first European club to compete against an NBA team, defeating the 1978 NBA champion Washington Bullets in Tel Aviv.

Maccabi Haifa is the reigning Super League runner-up and defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv to win the 2012-2013 Super League Championship, the club’s first championship since its founding in 1953.  Maccabi Haifa’s trip to the United States will mark the fourth time in five years the team has traveled to the United States to play NBA teams, most recently during the 2013 preseason when the club took on the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.

On March 22, 2014, Flamengo defeated Pinheiros to win the 2014 FIBA Americas League championship.  In May, Flamengo defeated Paulistano to win its third Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) title.  NBB is Brazil’s premier professional men’s basketball league.  Flamengo will play in the 2014 Intercontinental Cup in Rio de Janeiro in September, where the team will face Maccabi Tel Aviv.  Flamengo’s visit to Phoenix on Oct. 8 will mark the team’s first game against NBA competition.

These games complement the existing NBA Global Games 2014-15 schedule, which includes nine NBA teams playing seven games in six countries (seven cities).

During the 2013-14 regular season, the NBA featured a record 92 international players from 39 countries and territories on official rosters (active and inactive).

A complete schedule of all nine games can be found below.  Click here for the full 2014 preseason schedule.