NBA outdoor games
Encyclopedia
Only four National Basketball Association
(NBA) games have ever been played outdoors. The first outdoor game was played between the Phoenix Suns
and the Milwaukee Bucks
on September 24, 1972 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
a baseball park
in San Juan, Puerto Rico
during that year's preseason. The Suns defeated the Bucks, 116–103.
The NBA has not scheduled another outdoor game after that, citing weather as a major obstacle. In 2008, the Phoenix Suns planned to play a preseason game outdoors at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California
. The idea reportedly came from Suns part-owner Dick Heckmann, who presented it to Suns president and CEO Rick Welts. The game was played on October 11, 2008 between the Suns and the Denver Nuggets
at the tennis arena. Both teams, affected by low temperature (around 64 °F (17.8 °C)) and high wind (at 15 mi/h), struggled from the field as they shot below 40 percent and hit only 3 out of 27 from the three-point line. Key players including Carmelo Anthony
, Allen Iverson
and Amar'e Stoudemire missed the game due to injury. In the end, the Nuggets defeated the Suns, 77–72.
Due to the success of the 2008 game, the Suns decided to schedule more outdoor games in upcoming preseasons. On October 10, 2009, the Suns met the Golden State Warriors
at Indian Wells. Due to poor weather, both teams struggled to find the basket as they shot just above 40 percent. Warriors' Anthony Morrow
had the game high 30 points while Channing Frye
led the Suns with 16 points. The Warriors won the game 104–101.
The 2010 game was played on October 9 between the Suns and the Dallas Mavericks
. Unlike the previous games, the weather was warm and windless. The Suns won for the first time, defeating the Mavericks 98–90. Five Suns players scored in double figures; Grant Hill
led with 16. José Juan Barea
had 13 to lead the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki
sat out the game.
All modern outdoor games were televised on TNT. The WNBA has had one regular season game played outside Liberty Outdoor Classic
.
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...
(NBA) games have ever been played outdoors. The first outdoor game was played between the 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...
and 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....
on September 24, 1972 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Hiram Bithorn Stadium is a baseball park in San Juan, Puerto Rico, operated by the municipal government of the city of San Juan. Its name honors the first Puerto Rican to play in the major leagues, Hiram Bithorn, who first played with the Chicago Cubs in 1942...
a baseball park
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
during that year's preseason. The Suns defeated the Bucks, 116–103.
The NBA has not scheduled another outdoor game after that, citing weather as a major obstacle. In 2008, the Phoenix Suns planned to play a preseason game outdoors at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, in the Coachella Valley , in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,958....
. The idea reportedly came from Suns part-owner Dick Heckmann, who presented it to Suns president and CEO Rick Welts. The game was played on October 11, 2008 between the Suns and the 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...
at the tennis arena. Both teams, affected by low temperature (around 64 °F (17.8 °C)) and high wind (at 15 mi/h), struggled from the field as they shot below 40 percent and hit only 3 out of 27 from the three-point line. Key players including Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
and Amar'e Stoudemire missed the game due to injury. In the end, the Nuggets defeated the Suns, 77–72.
Due to the success of the 2008 game, the Suns decided to schedule more outdoor games in upcoming preseasons. On October 10, 2009, the Suns met the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
at Indian Wells. Due to poor weather, both teams struggled to find the basket as they shot just above 40 percent. Warriors' Anthony Morrow
Anthony Morrow
Anthony Jarrad Morrow , nicknamed A-Mo, is an American professional basketball player for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association...
had the game high 30 points while Channing Frye
Channing Frye
Channing Thomas Frye is an American professional basketball player and currently plays for the Phoenix Suns. His positions are center and power forward. He attended the University of Arizona...
led the Suns with 16 points. The Warriors won the game 104–101.
The 2010 game was played on October 9 between the Suns and the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. Unlike the previous games, the weather was warm and windless. The Suns won for the first time, defeating the Mavericks 98–90. Five Suns players scored in double figures; Grant Hill
Grant Hill
Grant Hill is the name of:* Grant Hill, American basketball player* Grant Hill , Canadian politician* Grant Hill, San Diego, California, an urban neighboorhood in central San Diego...
led with 16. José Juan Barea
Jose Juan Barea
José Juan "J.J." Barea Mora is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. He most recently played as a point guard for the National Basketball Association's 2011 champion Dallas Mavericks. Barea has played in the NBA, NBA Development League, NCAA and the BSN with Indios de Mayagüez and the...
had 13 to lead the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
sat out the game.
All modern outdoor games were televised on TNT. The WNBA has had one regular season game played outside Liberty Outdoor Classic
Liberty Outdoor Classic
The Liberty Outdoor Classic was the first regular-season professional basketball game played outdoors. It was played between the Indiana Fever and New York Liberty at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York on July 19, 2008 with the Fever winning the game, 71-55...
.