10.26.07
An NBA preseason treat
It’s always a treat to see international players in the NBA play in their home countries. We saw Yao in China with the Chinese national team during the 2006 exhibition game with the U.S. ahead of the world championships – and he didn’t even play, but still sold the place out and addressed the crowd aftewards. Tonight at GM Place in Vancouver, a reported sellout crowd of 18,630 will watch hometown hero Steve Nash (he was raised in nearby Victoria) lead the Phoenix Suns against the Seattle SuperSonics. Not sure it will be much of a game – Kevin Durant is injured, and the Sonics without him (and realistically, probably with him as well) are just not at the same level as the powerhouse teams in the Western Conference – but it will be a treat to see how the Canadian fans treat Nash’s homecoming.
City’s love of Nash keeps welcome mat out for NBA (Vancouver Sun)
And for diehard Steve Nash fans, here’s a preview of the New York Times’ “Play” Magazine article on Nash, to be published on Sunday. The article includes news of Nash’s trip to China in September where he and Yao Ming organized a charity game, and a great photo of the two of them together in China.
Not to get too mystical about it (New York Times – Play Magazine)