NBA Games bring people together for a positive reason

As the New York Knicks took on the Philadelphia 76ers on the court, the magnificent Etihad Arena was rocking with the energy of the basketball fans on Saturday.

- Rituraj Borkakoty [e-mail]

It was only a preseason NBA game. For casual fans, Academy Award-winning American actor Adrien Brody sharing a few lighthearted moments with the flamboyant Bollywood star Ranveer Singh probably inspired them to create a series of Instagram reels.

But for others, the impact of world-class sporting events in the UAE like the Abu Dhabi NBA Games, is more profound as they offer them a wonderful opportunity to come together at a time of unrest and conflicts in so many countries.

For Dubai-based American expat Dida Atassi, the New York Knicks-Philadelphia 76ers game was more than a battle of cagers.

"I am from Washington, DC, but I live in Dubai with my British husband and our two sons," she said.