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The action doesn’t stop after the Celtics and Nuggets tipped for the 2024-25 season opener in Abu Dhabi. There are two more duels on Friday to get the pre-season underway: The New Zealand Breakers take on the Jazz before the T-Wolves take on the Lakers.

New Zealand Breakers at Jazz (9 ET, NBA League Pass): How will one of the best teams in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) fare against Lauri Markkanen and the Jazz?

• Recent History: 2024-25 marks the third consecutive preseason with at least one NBL vs. NBA game, with the NBA leading the series 5-1
• Round 2: Today’s meeting will be a rematch of last preseason, when Utah defeated New Zealand 114-94 behind Markkanen’s 15 points and seven boards
• Players to Watch: Three notable 2024 draft picks are expected to play for Utah: Cody Williams (No. 10), the younger brother of OKC star Jalen Williams; Isaiah Collier (No. 29), a standout guard from USC; and former Duke All-American Kyle Filipowski (No. 32)

Timberwolves at Lakers (10:30 a.m. ET, NBA TV): What can we expect as Anthony Edwards and the new-look Wolves take on LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers and Bronny James is expected to make his preseason debut?

• Setting the stage: The Lakers selected Bronny with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft, making him the NBA’s first active father-son duo. No father-son pair has ever played together in an NBA game
• Measuring bar: Now entering his 22nd NBA season, LeBron will look to help the Lakers bounce back from last year’s first-round playoff exit and will get an early test tonight against last year’s Western Conference finalists
• New in the package: On the other hand, the Wolves will face fellow All-Stars Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for the first time since trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks, whose availability for tonight is unknown

Tomorrow the preseason continues in Honolulu. while Stephen Curry and the Warriors make their first appearance of the 2024-25 season against James Harden and the Clippers in a standalone Saturday game.

• Warriors vs. Clippers (7 ET, NBA TV | Honolulu, HI)

Then Sunday delivers a slate of five games At the end of the weekend, the focus was on the second and final game from Abu Dhabi and the 10th edition of the Canada Series.

• Nuggets vs. Celtics (10 a.m. ET, NBA TV | NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024)
• Knicks at Hornets (5 ET, NBA TV)
• Wizards vs. Raptors (7:30 a.m. ET, NBA League Pass | NBA Canada Series)
• Bucks at Pistons (8 ET, ESPN)
• Sunning at Lakers (9:30 a.m. ET, NBA League Pass)