Skip To Navigation Exiting Navigation
Translate
Close Translate Menu
Translate To English
Translate To Spanish Translate To French Translate To German Translate To Hindi Translate To Portuguese Translate To Russian Translate To Korean Translate To Chinese Translate To Vietnamese
Search
||Pause Video >Play Video

City of Jacksonville

Navigation
Close Navigation
Content

NBA Returns With High Profile Matchup For 2015 Preseason

June 24, 2015
Playoff Teams Atlanta and New Orleans to Face Off in Third Annual Event

For the third straight year, Jacksonville will be a destination for the NBA as the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans Pelicans face off in a preseason game at Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday, Oct. 9.
 
The Hawks, who posted the best record in the Eastern Conference this season, will be playing a Pelicans team that advanced to the playoffs in the Western Conference for the first time since 2011.
 
“This year’s NBA game between two playoff teams showcases Jacksonville’s strong ability to host major events. We are excited that our partnership with the NBA will continue for a third successive year,” Mayor Alvin Brown said. “Our city’s record as a premier destination for sports and entertainment will only continue building momentum with this first-class show for basketball fans in 2015.”
 
The New Orleans Pelicans return to Jacksonville for the third year in a row. They feature All-NBA performer Anthony Davis coached by Alvin Gentry, who was an assistant coach for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors this past season.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to play a preseason game in Jacksonville for the third consecutive season,” said Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps. “The City of Jacksonville continues to do a tremendous job of supporting the NBA and hosting a great event for basketball fans in the area.”
 
The Atlanta Hawks will return to the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena after playing here in a 2009 exhibition with the Miami Heat.
 
“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to play in front of our fans in southern Georgia and northern Florida,” said Hawks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. “Jacksonville is extremely supportive of the NBA, and we look forward to our preseason game against the Pelicans there.”
 
“It is always great to have the NBA come to Jacksonville,” said Jacksonville resident Artis Gilmore, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “These are two exciting teams that anyone who is a basketball fan will want to watch.  It is a great start to another big year of basketball events that ends with the SEC women’s basketball tournament in March.”
 
Tickets are on sale at the Tom Bush Family of Dealerships Box Office at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, or can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.  For more information, visit JaxEvents.com