NBL plays a game in one of Australian Open arenas in open air / News - Basketnews.com

The traditional event took a two-year break to the global pandemic but gloriously returned this season with a matchup between the Melbourne United and the Cairns Taipans.

Credit: Twitter/NBL Credit Twitter/NBL

After a two-year break, the Australian Basketball League (NBL) returned with a game that the local fans have been waiting to see for a long time.

One of the most highly anticipated fixtures in the entire league's calendar, the Open Air Game has been a regular feature for many years. However, it was stopped for the past two seasons due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

This year, it came back, and more than 10,000 people attended the special match in the John Cain Arena, which is the second-largest court of the famous Australian Open complex.

Melbourne United battled against Cairns Taipans where the United came up with a close 84-81 win after an intense battle.

"It's great to have the Open Air Game back this season. It's always one of the most anticipated games on our schedule and something that sets us apart from any other professional basketball league anywhere else in the world," the league's commissioner Jeremy Loeliger told when the news was announced.

Full game highlights:

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