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A22 SPORTS
Friday 11 OctOber 2019
Continued from Page 17 their country's colors onto
It was the latest salvo in the faces.
the rift between the league "If we have to choose,
and China stemming from we will choose to support
a since-deleted tweet our country," said fan Ma
posted last week by Morey, Shipeng, who brought 900
the general manager of miniature Chinese flags to
the Houston Rockets. hand out to fellow fans.
"There will be no media "We only like some particu-
availabilities for tonight's lar basketball players, but
game between the Brook- we don't like NBA anymore.
lyn Nets and Los Angeles I give away Chinese flags
Lakers," the NBA said in a tonight, as I hope people
statement Thursday, re- to put the national interest
leased a few hours before in front of following NBA.
the game. I will continue to support
And there wasn't. They James. But none of our
came. They played. They Chinese people would ac-
left. They didn't talk. cept what Morey and Silver
The game was held as said." Morey's tweet that
scheduled, with James and showed support for anti-
Nets guard Kyrie Irving get- government protesters in
ting loud ovations when Hong Kong has put a mas- Los Angeles Lakers' Lebron James is blocked by Brooklyn Nets' Garrett Temple, right, during a
they were introduced as sive dent in the multibillion- preseason NBA game in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019.
starters. But neither the dollar relationship between Associated Press
U.S. nor the Chinese na- China and the NBA. And
tional anthem was played that tweet was why Chi- later apologized to Mac- thony Davis didn't play act directly with some Chi-
before the game, and nese officials did not permit farlane, saying the Rock- down the stretch and Irving nese ticketholders. Signage
no players addressed the questions to be asked in ets' decision was inappro- left after just 66 seconds in Shanghai to promote the
crowd before tip-off in a Shanghai. priate. "We've apologized with an aggravation of a game was ripped down,
departure from tradition In Tokyo, it was the Rock- to Ms. Macfarlane as this facial fracture. and mentions of the game
before such international ets not permitting certain was inconsistent with how "I understand that there were scrubbed from the
games. Fans arriving at the questions. the NBA conducts media are consequences from arena website.
arena to watch — many After Houston finished its events," the NBA said. that exercise of, in es- All that comes as many
of them donning NBA jer- two-game preseason series Other than the no-me- sence, (Morey's) freedom Chinese corporations sus-
seys — were handed small in Tokyo against Toronto dia-session mandate, the of speech," Silver said at a pended their business ties
Chinese flags to carry with on Thursday, CNN report- Lakers-Nets game was no news conference in Tokyo to the NBA. Chinese state
them inside, and at least er Christina Macfarlane different than any other earlier this week. "We will broadcaster CCTV did not
one person carried a sign tried to ask Rockets guards game. Most seats were have to live with those con- show Thursday's Lakers-Nets
critical of Silver. James Harden and Russell filled, and fans reacted sequences." game and does not plan to
The Nets won, 114-111. That Westbrook if they would be as they would normally — There were many. show their next matchup at
is not why this game will hesitant to speak out about oohs and aahs for good Most events in advance Shenzhen on Saturday. NBA
be remembered. Virtually political or societal issues plays, applause for baskets, of the game, such as NBA broadcast partner Tencent
all corporate signage was going forward after having the loudest cheers coming Cares events to benefit has said it is changing its
removed from the playing seen the fallout from Mo- whenever James touched educational causes and coverage plans for the
surface and other spots in rey's tweet. the ball. It appeared most the Special Olympics, were league as well, and can-
Mercedes-Benz Arena, fans A Rockets media official fans stayed until the end, called off, as was a "fan celed credential requests
carried tiny Chinese flags did not allow the question even though James and night" where Lakers and in some U.S. arenas for pre-
and some even painted to be answered. The NBA fellow Lakers standout An- Nets players were to inter- season games this week.q

Johansson scores in OT, Sabres top Canadiens 5-4

By The Associated Press and added an assist in a Hayes, Sean Couturier and
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Mar- game the Canadiens ral- Travis Konency as part of a
cus Johansson scored 1:30 lied from a two-goal, third- three-goal third period in
into overtime, leading the period deficit. Jesperi Kot- their home opener.
Buffalo Sabres to a 5-4 win kaniemi and Ben Chiarot, Hart shined in the Philly de-
over the Montreal Cana- with the tying goal with 7:06 but of new coach Alain Vi-
diens on Wednesday night. remaining, also scored for gneault, securing the shut-
Jack Eichel scored twice the Canadiens (1-0-2) out in his 33rd NHL game.
and added two assists, and Keith Kincaid stopped 34 Hart became the youngest
the Sabres improved to shots. goaltender in Flyers' history
3-0-1, the team's best start The game was decided just to record a shutout, at the
since opening the 2009-10 as Montreal's Paul Byron ex- age of 21 years, 57 days.
season 4-0-1. Rookie Victor ited the penalty box while He topped Dominic Rous-
Olofsson matched an NHL serving a slashing penalty. sel, who shut out Calgary
record in becoming the FLYERS 4, DEVILS 0 on February 27, 1992, at the
fourth NHL player to score Buffalo Sabres forwards Marcus Johansson (90), Sam Reinhart PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cart- age of 22 years, five days.
(23) and Jack Eichel (9) celebrate a goal by Johansson during
first six career goals on the overtime in the team's NHL hockey game against the Montreal er Hart stopped 25 shots for CANUCKS 8, KINGS 2
power play in a game Buf- Canadiens, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, in Buffalo, N.Y. his first career shutout to lift VANCOUVER, British Colum-
falo converted two of five Associated Press Philadelphia past New Jer- bia (AP) — J.T. Miller had a
opportunities. sey. goal and three assists to
Jeff Skinner also scored and lin had two assists, while shots and improved to 3-0. Ivan Provorov scored for lead Vancouver past Los
defenseman Rasmus Dah- Carter Hutton stopped 23 Joel Armia scored twice the Flyers, and so did Kevin Angeles.q