- Title: Chinese fans miffed at NBA, but not enough to skip game
- Date: 12th October 2019
- Summary: FANS CHEERING AS NBA PLAYERS TRAIN SCREEN SHOWING TRAINING IN PROGRESS FANS SITTING AND WATCHING VARIOUS OF LOS ANGELES LAKERS STAR ANTHONY DAVIS PRACTISING ON COURT NBA TEAM BANNERS VARIOUS OF LAKERS SUPERSTAR LEBRON JAMES TRAINING ON COURT
- Embargoed: 26th October 2019 14:51
- Keywords: China NBA Los Angeles Lakers Brooklyn Nets
- Location: SHENZHEN, CHINA
- City: SHENZHEN, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Basketball,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA002B0SI0QV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Chinese basketball fans cheered on the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets at an NBA exhibition game in the city of Shenzhen on Saturday (October 12) night - but some warned the organisation to stay out of politics.
Daryl Morey, general manager of another team, the Houston Rockets, voiced support for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in a tweet last week, prompting Chinese sponsors and partners to cut ties with the NBA.
China is estimated to be worth more than $4 billion for the NBA, so the stakes are high.
Outside the arena on Saturday, some protesters waved Chinese flags and others held admonitory red signs.
One man with a sign in Chinese saying "NBA get out of China" had it ripped up by police.
China has accused the West of stirring up anti-Beijing sentiment in Hong Kong, where large and at times violent anti-government protesters have gained momentum over the past four months.
State media characterised Morey's tweet - which read "Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong" - as meddling in China's affairs. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver defended the principle of free speech on Tuesday, further angering Beijing.
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