Yesterday, the Los Angeles Lakers arrived in China for two preseason games against the Golden State Warriors. While the entire team is excited about the opportunity to play in front of the great fans of China, some are clearly more excited than others.
Head coach Mike D’Antoni isn’t as excited about training camp in China. When asked about the trip, D’Antoni said he would rather have the team bond at home, but shared his best memory he has of China. As an assistant coach for the 2008 USA Men’s Basketball team, D’Antoni remembers the crowd chanting Kobe’s name when the team walked into the stadium, which irritated LeBron James.
While Steve Nash will use this trip to find his rhythm and confidence with the regular season approaching, some of the players had some fun tobogganing down the Great Wall of China. Unfortunately, it didn’t end well for Chris Kaman as his finger was smashed between two sleds, while Nick Young was excited about going down the slide until he quickly crashed.
All in all, the Lakers are having a good time in China, and this experience overseas should help them come together on the court. The Lakers play the Warriors early Tuesday and Friday morning before returning home.
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