McDonald's Championship
Encyclopedia
The McDonald's Championship (sometimes called the McDonald's Open) was an international men's basketball
cup competition played between the champions of the continental club competitions and an NBA
invitee. The McDonald's Championship succeeded the Intercontinental Cup
.
In each of the nine years the McDonald's Championship was held the title was won by a team from the NBA, but twice by a close margin. The first time was in the semifinals in 1990, when the New York Knicks
trailed Italian club Scavolini Pesaro by three points (107-104) with only 30 seconds on the clock. After successfully defending, the Knicks won possession and Gerald Wilkins
netted a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The other close game came the following year in 1991, when the Los Angeles Lakers
defeated Spanish champions Joventut Badalona
by just two points (116-114).
The McDonald's Championship was discontinued after 1999, but the FIBA World Club Championship
was set to open in 2010 and will be similarly contested by all the continental champions. Although no team from the NBA will be invited in 2010, FIBA intends to invite the NBA winner in subsequent years.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
cup competition played between the champions of the continental club competitions and an NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
invitee. The McDonald's Championship succeeded the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (basketball)
The World Cup for Champion Clubs, commonly referred to as the Intercontinental Cup, was a basketball competition endorsed by FIBA to gather the best clubs from the federations affiliated to FIBA and to officially decide the best club of the world, contended mainly by the continents of higher...
.
In each of the nine years the McDonald's Championship was held the title was won by a team from the NBA, but twice by a close margin. The first time was in the semifinals in 1990, when the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
trailed Italian club Scavolini Pesaro by three points (107-104) with only 30 seconds on the clock. After successfully defending, the Knicks won possession and Gerald Wilkins
Gerald Wilkins
Gerald Bernard Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" shooting guard/small forward, who played collegiately at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and later in the NBA.Gerald is the younger brother of former Atlanta Hawks superstar Dominique Wilkins and...
netted a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The other close game came the following year in 1991, when the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
defeated Spanish champions Joventut Badalona
Joventut Badalona
Club Joventut Badalona, S.A.D. is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, playing in the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto . Known to their fans as La Penya , it is one of only three teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League...
by just two points (116-114).
The McDonald's Championship was discontinued after 1999, but the FIBA World Club Championship
FIBA World Club Championship
The FIBA World Club Championship is a new annual basketball competition to be contested by the FIBA men's club tournament winners...
was set to open in 2010 and will be similarly contested by all the continental champions. Although no team from the NBA will be invited in 2010, FIBA intends to invite the NBA winner in subsequent years.
Format
After the first tournament (3 teams championship format), the competition was disputed in a single elimination format, with the winners of the matches advancing to the next round.List of champions
| Year | Host | Champion | Runner-up | Third | Fourth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 1987 McDonald's Championship The 1987 McDonald's Championship took place at MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, USA.-Tournament:23 October 198724 October 198725 October 1987-Final standings:-External links:**... |
 MilwaukeeMilwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the... |
Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
 Soviet UnionSoviet Union national basketball team The Soviet national basketball team was the basketball side that represented the Soviet Union in international competitions. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the successor countries all set up their own national teams... |
 Tracer MilanoOlimpia Milano Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red... |
Only 3 teams |
| 1988 1988 McDonald's Championship The 1988 McDonald's Championship took place at Palacio de los Deportes in Madrid, Spain.-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
 MadridMadrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... |
Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid Baloncesto Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto .... |
 YugoslaviaYugoslavia national basketball team The Yugoslavian national basketball team represented the Kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia. Its of governing body was the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia, whose seat was in Belgrade.... |
Scavolini Pesaro |
| 1989 1989 McDonald's Championship The 1989 McDonald's Championship took place at PalaLottomatica in Rome, Italy.-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
Jugoplastika Split KK Split KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:... |
Philips Milano Olimpia Milano Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red... |
FC Barcelona FC Barcelona Bàsquet FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto... |
| 1990 1990 McDonald's Championship -Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... |
New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
Pop 84 Split KK Split KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:... |
FC Barcelona FC Barcelona Bàsquet FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto... |
Scavolini Pesaro |
| 1991 1991 McDonald's Championship The 1991 McDonald's Championship took place at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France.-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
 ParisParis Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
Joventut Badalona Joventut Badalona Club Joventut Badalona, S.A.D. is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, playing in the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto . Known to their fans as La Penya , it is one of only three teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League... |
CSP Limoges |
 Slobodna Dalmacija SplitKK Split KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:... |
| 1993 1993 McDonald's Championship The 1993 McDonald's Championship took place at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany.-Preliminary round:Oualifying games21 October 1993-Places 5-6:22 October 1993-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
 MunichMunich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... |
Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US... |
Buckler Bologna Virtus Bologna -Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid Baloncesto Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto .... |
CSP Limoges |
| 1995 1995 McDonald's Championship The 1995 McDonald's Championship took place at the London Arena in London, England.-Preliminary round:Oualifying games19 October 1995-Final round:-Places 5-6:21 October 1995-Final standings:-External links:**... |
 LondonLondon London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
Houston Rockets Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being... |
Buckler Bologna Virtus Bologna -Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77... |
 Perth WildcatsPerth Wildcats The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid Baloncesto Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto .... |
| 1997 1997 McDonald's Championship The 1997 McDonald's Championship took place at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris.-Preliminary round:Qualifying games16 October 1997-Final round:-Places 5-6:18 October 1997-Final:*Chicago Bulls... |
Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
Chicago Bulls Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center... |
 Olympiacos Piraeus |
 Atenas de CórdobaAsociación Deportiva Atenas Asociación Deportiva Atenas, known simply as Atenas or Atenas de Córdoba, is a sports club based in Córdoba, Argentina. It was founded in 1938 and is mostly known for its achievements in basketball... |
Paris Basket Racing Paris Basket Racing Paris Basket Racing, or PBR, is a now-defunct French professional basketball club from Paris. It was founded in the year 1922 as the basketball section of the sports club Racing Club de Paris. The team took the name "Paris Basket Racing" in 2000.... |
| 1999 1999 McDonald's Championship The 1999 McDonald's Championship took place at the Fila Forum in Milan, Italy.-Preliminary round:Oualifying games14 October 1999-Final round:-Places 5-6:16 October 1999-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... |
San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
 Vasco da GamaClub de Regatas Vasco da Gama Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama |Rowing Club]]), usually known as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, is a famous and traditional Brazilian multisports club from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, founded on August 21, 1898... |
 Žalgiris KaunasBC Žalgiris BC Žalgiris is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania. It is one of the oldest teams in the Euroleague and plays domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga , and regionally in the VTB United League... |
Varese Roosters Pallacanestro Varese -Notable players:-Notable coaches: Aleksandar Nikolić Nico Messina Sandro Gamba Edoardo Rusconi Joe Isaac Carlo Recalcati Valerio Bianchini Ruben Magnano-Sponsorship names:Through the years, due to sponsorship deals, it has been also known as:... |
MVPs
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 1987 McDonald's Championship The 1987 McDonald's Championship took place at MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, USA.-Tournament:23 October 198724 October 198725 October 1987-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Terry Cummings Terry Cummings Robert Terrell "Terry" Cummings is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association for 18 seasons as a power forward and occasional center.-College and NBA years:... |
Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
| 1988 1988 McDonald's Championship The 1988 McDonald's Championship took place at Palacio de los Deportes in Madrid, Spain.-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Larry Bird Larry Bird Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish... |
Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
| 1989 1989 McDonald's Championship The 1989 McDonald's Championship took place at PalaLottomatica in Rome, Italy.-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Walter Davis Walter Davis (basketball) Walter Paul Davis is a retired American basketball player. A 6'6" forward/guard, Davis spent 15 years in the National Basketball Association, spending the bulk of those years with the Phoenix Suns... |
Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
| 1990 1990 McDonald's Championship -Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Patrick Ewing Patrick Ewing Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle... |
New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
| 1991 1991 McDonald's Championship The 1991 McDonald's Championship took place at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France.-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Magic Johnson Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers... |
Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
| 1993 1993 McDonald's Championship The 1993 McDonald's Championship took place at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany.-Preliminary round:Oualifying games21 October 1993-Places 5-6:22 October 1993-Final round:-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Charles Barkley Charles Barkley Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards... |
Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US... |
| 1995 1995 McDonald's Championship The 1995 McDonald's Championship took place at the London Arena in London, England.-Preliminary round:Oualifying games19 October 1995-Final round:-Places 5-6:21 October 1995-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Clyde Drexler Clyde Drexler Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and... |
Houston Rockets Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being... |
| 1997 1997 McDonald's Championship The 1997 McDonald's Championship took place at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris.-Preliminary round:Qualifying games16 October 1997-Final round:-Places 5-6:18 October 1997-Final:*Chicago Bulls... |
Michael Jordan Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats... |
Chicago Bulls Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center... |
| 1999 1999 McDonald's Championship The 1999 McDonald's Championship took place at the Fila Forum in Milan, Italy.-Preliminary round:Oualifying games14 October 1999-Final round:-Places 5-6:16 October 1999-Final standings:-External links:**... |
Tim Duncan Tim Duncan Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year... |
San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
Titles by team
| Club | Titles |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
1 |
| Chicago Bulls Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center... |
1 |
| Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
1 |
| Houston Rockets Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being... |
1 |
| Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
1 |
| New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
1 |
| Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US... |
1 |
| San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
1 |
Titles by country
| Country | Titles |
|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
9 |
See also
- List of NBA vs FIBA games
- 2006 NBA Europe Live Tour2006 NBA Europe Live TourThe 2006 NBA Europe Live Tour was an international basketball exhibition and competition produced jointly by the National Basketball Association and the Euroleague. The tour featured four NBA teams training and playing matches against Euroleague teams in Germany, Russia, France, Italy, and Spain....
- 2007 NBA Europe Live Tour2007 NBA Europe Live TourThe 2007 NBA Europe Live Tour was a basketball exhibition tour featuring teams from the NBA and teams from Europe's top professional leagues. The hosting countries were England, Italy, Spain and Turkey. The NBA teams traveled to Europe to begin their training camps, and played a series of...