The NBA preseason sends the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets to Macao, China, for a doubleheader on Oct. 9 and 11. Houston and Dallas are the second teams to play in the gambling hub, following the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets last season, which marked the NBA's return to China after a years-long hiatus. Both teams will again play at Macao's Venetian Arena.
Overseas trips often bring a team closer together before the long regular season grind. While preseason results may not predict how teams perform once games count, off-court moments can leave a lasting impact. Fans gave both squads a warm welcome at their hotels after flights that can exceed 20 hours.
The trip produced plenty of lighter moments. Rockets center Steven Adams shared a video of his room setup, including a bowl of fruit and Egyptian cotton. Fans swarmed the Mavericks during a group photo near the Venetian Macao, especially for Kyrie Irving, while Kevin Durant drew similar attention for Houston. After the Mavericks' first practice, forward Naji Marshall broke a rim and then a chair, and the team had to find replacements.
Adams and Bogdan Bogdanović explored the city, visiting the ruins of Saint Paul's and eating street food with a large crowd following them. Dallas players Daniel Gafford, Caleb Martin, Dwight Powell and Sergio de Larrea made the roughly hour-long ferry trip to Hong Kong to visit Victoria Peak. Rockets legend Yao Ming joked about growing taller after seeing his cardboard cutout at the NBA Macao house, while Durant and Kyrie Irving shared a laugh on the court and young fans delighted in meeting their heroes.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing