Braves

Today, the NBA announced that the ninth NBA Canada Series will feature two preseason games in Vancouver and Montr&eacute;al in October 2023.
On Oct. 8, two-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam, 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors will take on the 2022-23 Pacific Division champion Sacramento Kings at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
The Kings feature three-time NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis, 2023 NBA All-Star De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Canadian Trey Lyles, and are coached by unanimous 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown.
On Oct. 12, Canadians Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort &ndash; a native of Montr&eacute;al &ndash; and the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Detroit Pistons at the Bell Centre in Montr&eacute;al.&nbsp;
The Pistons feature 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie First Team member Cade Cunningham, 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Jaden Ivey and 2023 No. 5 overall draft pick Ausar Thompson.
In total, 15 NBA teams have participated in 16 preseason games across six cities as part of The NBA Canada Series, drawing a total attendance of more than a quarter of a million.
Tickets for the NBA Canada Series presented will go on sale at a later date.
Fans can register their interest for exclusive presale ticket access by visiting <a href="http://www.nba.com/canadaseries" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.nba.com/canadaseries&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1691183599182000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OWiNp-7b1K2q1CXglTDXi">NBA.com/CanadaSeries</a>. NBA Experiences ticket packages offering premium access to the game in Montr&eacute;al and other events will be available for purchase&nbsp;<a href="https://nbaexperiences.com/nba-canada-series-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nbaexperiences.com/nba-canada-series-2023&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1691183599182000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0zkhddQuwtKI19jTbdQZWl">here</a>.
In addition to presenting partner Bell, supporting partners of the NBA Canada Series 2023 include Hennessy, Labatt, Subway and Tangerine.

The NBA announced that the ninth NBA Canada Series will feature two preseason games in Vancouver and Montréal in October 2023.

NBA Canada Series to feature Raptors-Kings, Pistons-Thunder in preseason

Fresh off the 2023 Basketball Africa League Combine and heading toward the NBA Paris Game between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons in France, retired 13-year basketball pro Joakim Noah is soaking up every second of the international scene.
With Noah on site for both, Basketball News had the chance to catch up with the longtime Bull and former national-champion Florida Gator to discuss the rise of the BAL, the Paris Game on Thursday, basketball expanding to a global stage and much more.
Being at the BAL Combine and seeing the momentum of the league going into its third season, what's the energy like there?
Joakim Noah: "Well, it's very special to be in Paris. This is a full-circle moment for me personally, and to be able to come to the Combine and to see the energy of the young men trying to get jobs and work in the BAL, I thought it was really special. Obviously, we're building a professional league and it's growing. To build something sustainable... to see the growth from year-to-year is really special, but also to see the energy of the kids who want to be a part of it. Kids who are from all around the world, and everybody, you can feel that the kids are just in really high spirits and want to be a part of it. This is obviously so much bigger than basketball, and everybody who was at the Combine felt that way."
There are many former players who are heavily invested in the BAL, including guys you've played with and against like Grant Hill, Dikembe Mutombo, Ian Mahinmi and Luol Deng to name a few. All of you coming together and contributing to this, how does that feel?
Noah: "I think the contributions of some of the players that were able to invest is great because it also changes our mindset. Because you know, we were raised as competitors and competition can be very divisive, and just to be able to be in a position to be able to grow and unite is special. Not everybody has an opportunity to have that, to be at the table with the big dogs and see how we can grow something from scratch is really special. And now that we have this platform, especially for African players, it's really powerful."
What is the ultimate goal for the league?
Noah: "I think just to have a really powerful league on the continent where African kids don't feel like they have to go anywhere to get paid off of basketball. The game is growing, it's the fastest growing sport in the world and a lot of the talent comes from the motherland. So just to be a part of this and to watch the growth and seeing it at the highest level, but also on a grassroot level, is what it's all about. And now, we're able to have those conversations at a table altogether and look at the big picture and see where the growth needs to happen.
"I mean, Africa's so big, so different culturally. I'm learning a lot, and I feel like not only am I involved in something that I know a little bit about &mdash; because basketball has been my whole life &mdash; but I feel like I found my purpose. And there's a lot to be proud of with that. I didn't grow up on the continent, I wasn't born on the continent, but this is my heritage, and I feel like a lot of people feel that way. I felt that at the Combine (Monday). It's like, people came from all around the world to be a part of this and the energy was that the people who were involved really understand that big picture, and just want to see this game grow. And it's bigger than them just playing and getting a check. A lot of the time with basketball, that's what it becomes, but with this opportunity, I think that people really feel the purpose and I'm proud to be a part of that."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2023_01_16_bal_combine_-151-1.png" alt="" width="732" height="366" />
You kind of mentioned it, but internationally, the game is becoming so popular and has a ton of momentum. Even in the NBA, you're seeing more of that at a rapid pace, as there were 58 European players and nine different players from France on opening night. We know that Victor Wembanyama is at the top of NBA Draft conversations. In general, the way basketball is growing across the world, why do you think it's happened so fast and is this going to continue in that trajectory?
Noah: "You know, I remember being in Paris and going to my first NBA game and seeing Michael Jordan play and the power of his influence all around the world. My father brought me to the game in Bercy. And 25 years later, the Bulls are coming to play in Paris again. The French players have had that kind of access. And now, the future of not just French basketball, but the future of basketball is this kid Wemby, who's an unbelievable talent. He grew up seeing a lot of winning, not just in basketball, but you think of France with winning the World Cup. He was raised and he saw what winning is all about and he knows that it's very possible.
"So when I was coming up, [Tariq] Abdul-Wahad was the only NBA player. And I remember seeing Tony Parker coming up at 15 years old playing at ABCD Camp and seeing the career that he had, that was my inspiration. And now, there's just a whole generation of French players and they're just taking it to the next level. But France is a country that has all the resources to be the best. They have everything. They have the coaching, they have the structures, they have the stadiums. They have everything. So you see the growth, and that's what we're trying to do in Africa. The structures aren't there yet, and we have to build it step-by-step."
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You brought up the Paris game. The Bulls are going to be taking on the Detroit Pistons, and Killian Hayes is a French player who's found his stride this year. How special is it to play in your home country in such an event?
Noah: "Well I can't even imagine how he feels, but it's a beautiful story being able to play in front of your family and friends in your country. Nothing gets better than that. So it's gonna be really special for him. And just understanding that there's gonna be younger kids there watching him, and he's gonna be inspiring as well. So not only is it an unbelievable feeling to play on that court, but understanding every layup, every dunk, every opportunity that he gets on the court is inspiring for the next generation."
Going back to finding your purpose in working with the BAL, but on a broader subject, what has your transition to retirement been like? It sounds like you have a solid feel of what you're trying to accomplish post-career.
Noah: "Oh, a hundred percent. I think that everybody who's in this position, our careers are short. It's crazy to know that I won't be playing basketball anymore. It happens so fast. You have a dream from when you're a kid and not everybody gets to live out their dreams as players, and I was able to do that. I got to do it at the highest level, and I'm really proud of that. Now, I have my family. I just got married this summer, I have my kids. So I'm really happy, trying to find that balance of working and working on my purpose work and raising my family."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Joakim Noah (<a href="https://twitter.com/JoakimNoah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoakimNoah</a>) lending a hand to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JrNBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JrNBA</a> ‼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAParis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAParis</a> <a href="https://t.co/23ejEVVfqz">pic.twitter.com/23ejEVVfqz</a>
&mdash; NBA Cares (@nbacares) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbacares/status/1615701027122036736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Do you still keep in touch with your college teammates like Al Horford who's still playing and Corey Brewer who's coaching in New Orleans and your old Bulls teammates?
Noah: "Oh of course. These are people that I shared some of the most special times of my life with. I love Corey. We just sat down not long ago. Obviously, I have strong relationships with everybody and was able to do a beautiful trip with Derrick [Rose] to Africa, where he brought the Simeon (Academy) kids to Senegal this summer. These are all trips, these are all moments that I'm really proud of the relationships that I build off the court. And I just want to keep building."
If there are any players in the NBA today that you have your eye on, who would you say stands out?
Noah: "I love Bol Bol. Bol Bol is probably my favorite player to watch right now. I love to see his growth. Obviously, his back story is unbelievable. His father was so much more than just a basketball player. And just to see him become the player that he is and you just see him... you're not used to seeing somebody who's that tall &mdash; 7-foot-2 African guy &mdash; with handles, with that kind of ability. It just shows how much the game has grown. I just love watching him play. He's just a really exciting player. I wish him nothing but the best."
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More infomation regarding the BAL and the NBA Paris Game:
<ul>
<li>The third BAL season will tip off on March 11 and once again feature the top 12 club teams from 12 African cities playing games in Dakar, Senegal; Cairo, Egypt; and Kigali, Rwanda over three months in 2023</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<ol>
<li>The 12 club champions will be divided into two conferences.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<ul>
<ul>
<li>The Sahara Conference will play a 15-game group phase at the Dakar Arena in Dakar from March 11-21.</li>
<li>The Nile Conference will play a 15-game group phase at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo from April 26 &ndash; May 6.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The top four teams from each conference will advance to an eight-game, single elimination Playoffs and Finals at BK Arena in Kigali from May 21-27.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Each of the 12 BAL teams will have up to 13 players, at least eight of whom will be citizens in their respective team&rsquo;s home country and up to four of whom can be from other countries, with no more than two players per team from outside of Africa.&nbsp;</li>
<ul>
<li>One roster spot on each team is reserved for an NBA Academy Africa prospect as part of the BAL Elevate program, which will once again provide an opportunity for the next generation of African prospects to participate in a professional league, showcase their talent on a global stage and help their respective teams compete for the 2023 BAL Championship.</li>
</ul>
<li>The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that completed its second season in May 2022.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organized in Africa and marks the NBA&rsquo;s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.</li>
<li>On May 28, Tunisia&rsquo;s US Monastir defeated Angola&rsquo;s Petro de Luanda 83-72 to win the 2022 BAL Finals in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,000 at BK Arena.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The 2022 BAL season featured players from 23 countries across Africa, Europe, and the U.S, reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 14 languages - including all 54 African countries - and generated more than 600 million online engagements.</li>
</ul>
NBA Africa
<ul>
<li>With the support of strategic partners, in May the NBA launched NBA Africa as a new, standalone entity that conducts the league&rsquo;s business in Africa, including the BAL.</li>
</ul>
o&nbsp;&nbsp; The investors&rsquo; and strategic partners&rsquo; expertise in a wide range of industries and established relationships with African businesses, governments and NGOs will help accelerate the NBA&rsquo;s growth across the continent.&nbsp;
o&nbsp;&nbsp; The funding will contribute to the growth of the BAL, help expand the NBA&rsquo;s presence in priority African markets and Africa&rsquo;s basketball ecosystem, and deepen the league&rsquo;s engagement with players and fans through initiatives such as the launch of additional NBA Academies and social responsibility initiatives that improve the livelihoods of African youth and families.
<ul>
<li>The strategic investors include a consortium led by Babatunde &ldquo;Tunde&rdquo; Folawiyo, Chairman and CEO of Yinka Folawiyo Group; and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation (HFP), led by Tope Lawani, Co-CEO of HFP and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Helios Investment Partners.</li>
</ul>
o&nbsp;&nbsp; NBA Legends Junior Bridgeman, Luol Deng (South Sudan), Grant Hill, Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin), Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Joakim Noah (grandfather from Cameroon) have also invested in NBA Africa and will use their collective influence to contribute to our growth goals.
<ul>
<li>In July, the NBA announced that former President Barack Obama has joined NBA Africa as a strategic partner and will help advance the league&rsquo;s social responsibility efforts across the continent, including programs and partnerships that support greater gender equality and economic inclusion.</li>
<li>In December, global economist and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Dambisa Moyo and Academy Award-winning actor and social activist Forest Whitaker joined NBA Africa as strategic investors.</li>
</ul>
The NBA Paris Game 2023
<ul>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will feature the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls and the three-time NBA champion Detroit Pistons playing a regular-season game at the Accor Arena in Paris on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023.</li>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the first NBA game in Europe since 2020 and the league&rsquo;s 12th game in France since 1991.&nbsp; The NBA Paris Game 2020 &ndash; the first regular-season NBA game in Paris &ndash; took place Jan. 24, 2020, and featured the Charlotte Hornets and the Milwaukee Bucks.</li>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the Bulls&rsquo; third game in Paris, having played two preseason games in the French capital in 1997.
<ul>
<li>The Bulls are among the top three most-popular NBA teams in international merchandise sales (No. 2 in Europe), among the top five most-popular teams on NBA League Pass outside the U.S. (No. 5), and among the top five most-popular NBA teams on social media in terms of following (No. 2 on Facebook, No. 4 on Instagram, No. 4 on Twitter)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Pistons will be playing their first game in France, having previously played regular-season games in London (2013) and Mexico City (2019).</li>
</ul>
NBA in France
<ul>
<li>NBA games and programming have aired in France since 1985.</li>
<li>During the 2022-23 NBA season, fan in France can watch the NBA on beIN SPORTS, the NBA&rsquo;s exclusive Broadcast &amp; Digital partner in France, and NBA League Pass. beIN SPORTS airs up to 14 live games per week during the regular season, as well as the Play-In, Playoffs, all Conference Finals, Finals, All-Star Weekend, the Draft and Classic Games.</li>
<li>The 2022-23 regular season features 45 games that will air in primetime in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as part of &ldquo;NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23,&rdquo; marking the 10th consecutive regular season that the league has scheduled weekend games that air in primetime in EMEA.</li>
<li>France ranks fourth among European markets in League Pass subscriptions.</li>
<li>Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 games &ndash; featuring French star and top 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama &ndash; are available for free on the new NBA App throughout the 2022-23 including the LNB All-Star Game and select LNB Betclic ELITE Playoffs and Finals games.</li>
<li>The NBA&rsquo;s localized social media channels in France (Facebook and Twitter) have more than 1.5M collective followers.</li>
<li>The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the second regular-season game in France, the 12th NBA game overall in France (dating back to 1991) and the 94th NBA game in Europe (dating back to 1984).</li>
<li>Opening-night rosters for the 2022-23 NBA season featured 58 European players, including nine players from France.
<ul>
<li>France has had more players drafted into the NBA than other country outside North America and has been the most-represented European country in the NBA for each of the last 16 seasons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="https://pr.nba.com/nba-fanatics-paris-store-open/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pr.nba.com/nba-fanatics-paris-store-open/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1674099893476000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Pk9FJqixBAsT8n3qeg9n7">NBA Paris Store</a> &ndash; the first in France &ndash; opened&nbsp;in July 2022 and has featured player appearances by Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat and Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls. Top selling teams Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.</li>
<li>The NBA works with 18 marketing partners in France: adidas, EA, FDJ/ParionsSport, Foot Locker, Hennessy, Hotels.com/Expedia, ISG, Kellogg&rsquo;s, Microsoft, Mitchell &amp; Ness, New Balance, New Era, Nike, Rakuten, SAP, Tissot, Under Armour, Yop, and 2K Sports</li>
</ul>

Spencer Davies speaks with Joakim Noah ahead of the 2023 NBA Paris Game about his BAL passion, international hoops and more.

Joakim Noah Q&A: NBA Paris Game, investing in BAL, basketball's growth

TOKYO (AP) &mdash; Japanese basketball fans will get to see NBA stars up close when the reigning league-champion Golden State Warriors take on the Washington Wizards in two preseason games.
Not surprisingly, Stephen Curry and Japanese-born Rui Hachimura will be the star attractions for each team.
And as clearly as the logo of Japanese online retailer Rakuten is splashed on Curry&rsquo;s jersey, big money is riding on the NBA&rsquo;s most recent foray into Japan.
Junya Ogura, senior manager at Japanese automaker Nissan&rsquo;s brand and media strategy department, thinks it&rsquo;s all worth it, given the NBA&rsquo;s strong appeal to the younger generation, a trend that&rsquo;s backed up by marketing studies.
Nissan Motor Co., which sponsors Japanese professional baseball and soccer, had a high-profile deal with tennis superstar Naomi Osaka which recently ended. This is the first time it&rsquo;s sponsoring NBA games.
The tickets cost up to 420,000 yen ($2,900) each for courtside &ldquo;VIP&rdquo; seats. Both Friday and Sunday games are sold out at the Saitama Super Arena.
&ldquo;These are the Japanese people who grew up on Michael Jordan,&rdquo; said Ogura. &ldquo;We are banking on a return that will come in the future.&rdquo;
The NBA has drawn 15 marketing partners to support the preseason games in Japan, including American Express, Hennessy, NEC and Nike, and now has 19 marketing and promotional partners in Japan.
Rakuten, which also sponsors Japanese baseball and soccer and holds the Japan Open tennis championships, live-streams NBA games.
&ldquo;Obviously it&rsquo;s about the money,&rdquo; said Bob Dorfman, a San Francisco-based sports analyst at Pinnacle Advertising.
&ldquo;Building the fan base in Asia, and everywhere else in the world, results in more sponsorship dollars, increased media rights and greater merchandise sales.&rdquo;
The NBA may have more global appeal than other U.S. sports, being easier to understand than football, for instance, according to Dorfman, who has worked in Japan.
&ldquo;Every team has foreign-born players on their rosters, and the league&rsquo;s top stars are cultural icons, trendsetters, and social media giants. The game is cool,&rdquo; he said.
That translates not only into sponsorship money but also youngsters spending on sneakers and other fashion items and merchandising.
Between 1990 and 2003, the NBA staged 12 regular-season games in Japan. The last time the NBA played in Japan was in 2019, when Houston and Toronto played a pre-season game. The coronavirus pandemic had postponed their return to Japan until now.
And so the NBA is again courting Japan.
A giant 3D display at a Tokyo street-crossing depicts Curry and other NBA stars as &ldquo;manga,&rdquo; or Japanese comic, characters. The NBA&rsquo;s Japanese-language social media accounts have amassed more than 1.6 million followers.
While the players are in town, they will be taking part in various fan events. Besides Hachimura, the NBA now has another Japanese player, Yuta Watanabe, who is with the Brooklyn Nets.
The NBA is also excited about the potential for women&rsquo;s basketball. Japanese women were the silver medalists in the last Olympics. Rui Machida, an Olympian, signed earlier this year with the WNBA's Washington Mystics.
&ldquo;Our fan base is growing,&rdquo; said NBA Asia managing director Ramez Sheikh. &ldquo;There is real momentum around basketball in Japan, and it&rsquo;s a real important market for the NBA.&rdquo;
Wizards officials acknowledged they were surprised by the big reaction signing Hachimura drew from Japan. They suddenly saw more Japanese in the stands, tour buses started coming, and Japanese media showed up in big numbers.
&ldquo;It was all about Rui (Hachimura),&rdquo; said Hunter Lochman, chief marketing officer at Monumental Sports &amp; Entertainment, which owns the Wizards. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s fast-paced. It&rsquo;s high scoring. It&rsquo;s a great sport and it&rsquo;s a global sport."
Besides Japan, exhibition games are scheduled for Abu Dhabi this season. Regular-season games are being played in Paris and Mexico City.
Kyle Kuzma, a Wizards forward, said he was excited about being in Japan for the first time.
He already had sushi, planned to go shopping and was approached by a fan on the street, who gave him chopsticks.
&ldquo;This is a big moment. It&rsquo;s a big stage,&rdquo; Kuzma said after a practice session in Tokyo on Thursday.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

The Warriors and Wizards are in Tokyo to kick off their 2022-23 preseason in Japan.

Warriors-Wizards games in Japan to woo NBA fans, sponsors

TOKYO &ndash; The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that a record 13 marketing partners will support The NBA Japan Games 2022 Presented by Rakuten &amp; Nissan, which will feature the 2022 NBA champion Golden State Warriors and the Washington Wizards playing two preseason games on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. JST and Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. JST at Saitama Super Arena, marking the league&rsquo;s 15th and 16th games in the country. &nbsp;The 13 marketing partners are the most-ever for an NBA game in Japan and include Rakuten, Nissan, 2K, American Express, Hennessy, Hokka, Instyle Group, NEC, Nike, SAP, ServiceNow, Sun Chlorella, and Tissot.
In addition to the two games, the league will also host NBA Japan Games Saturday Night 2022 Presented by Rakuten &amp; Nissan on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. JST at Saitama Super Arena. &nbsp;The event will celebrate the game of basketball and showcase the convergence of the NBA and popular culture for a unique fan experience featuring appearances by Warriors and Wizards players, NBA legends and special celebrity guests, a slam dunk contest featuring professional dunkers, a &ldquo;Shooting Stars&rdquo; challenge, a three-point contest featuring players from the Warriors and Wizards, a musical performance by Japanese rock duo Yuzu, and more.
The games and NBA Saturday Night will be available on NBA Rakuten and livestreamed for free on the NBA Rakuten YouTube channel and Rakuten TV, and will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital and social media. &nbsp;NBA merchandise is available on NBAStore.jp, the official online NBA store in Japan.
Highlights of partner activations for The NBA Japan Games 2022 and NBA Saturday Night include:
Rakuten
&bull; Building on their experience serving as Presenting Partner of the games in 2019, Rakuten will serve as Co-presenting Partner of the games and NBA Saturday Night this year. &nbsp;Rakuten will also receive in-arena and on-court branding and will host a variety of activations and fan activities during the games and NBA Saturday Night.
Nissan
&bull; As Co-presenting Partner of the games and NBA Saturday Night, Nissan will receive in-arena and on-court branding, and will leverage its innovation to host a variety of fan activities to add excitement to the week&rsquo;s events.
&bull; Nissan will also conduct a range of campaigns, including ticket giveaways and sweepstakes, giving fans the opportunity to serve as a court sweeper at the NBA Japan Games.
2K
&bull; 2K, a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) and publisher of the leading global basketball video game NBA 2K, will host a booth at Saitama Super Arena where fans can play the recently released NBA 2K23 video game on a PlayStation&reg;5 (PS5&trade;) console. &nbsp;An NBA legend will make an appearance at the booth and interact with fans at The NBA Japan Games 2022.
&bull; 2K will also host a contest on the 2K Japan Twitter account that will award six winners with a pair of tickets to attend The NBA Japan Games 2022.
American Express
&bull; As an Official Partner of The NBA Japan Games 2022 and NBA Saturday Night, American Express will offer its cardholders a 15% discount at NBA Japan Games merchandise booths at Saitama Super Arena throughout the games and NBA Saturday Night.
Hennessy
&bull; As the Official Spirit of the NBA, Hennessy, which staged iconic court activations across the Asia-Pacific region during the 2021-22 season, will offer cocktails at their booth on the concourse of Saitama Super Arena throughout the games and NBA Saturday Night.
&bull; During the NBA Japan Games 2022 Welcome Reception Presented by NEC, Hennessy will serve an assortment of NBA-themed cocktails throughout the event. &nbsp;Additionally, Hennessy will host &ldquo;The Hennessy x NBA Afterparty&rdquo; on Friday, Sept. 30, which will be an invitation only event.
NEC
&bull; As the Official Biometrics Partner of The NBA Japan Games 2022, NEC will provide a hands-free, speedy and secure payment system using its latest multimodal face and iris recognition technology at the games and NBA Saturday Night. &nbsp;Fans can register in advance through a link that will be published on the event website to experience the convenience on-site.
&bull; NEC will also serve as the Presenting Partner of The NBA Japan Games 2022 Welcome Reception, where it will present its latest technology to invited guests in attendance.
Nike
&bull; As the Official Outfitter of the NBA, Nike will offer select merchandise from the Warriors and Wizards at NBA Japan Games merchandise booths at Saitama Super Arena, Nike.com and select retail partners.
Sun Chlorella
&bull; Celebrating its 53rd anniversary this year, Sun Chlorella, a health food company dedicated to working alongside athletes to help them achieve excellence, will hold a promotion to provide its customers with the opportunity to win tickets to the NBA Japan Games 2022. &nbsp;Additional details about the promotion will be announced at a later date.
Tissot
&bull; As the Official Timekeeper of the NBA, Tissot will provide fans the opportunity to participate in a shooting contest at their booth in Saitama Super Arena for a chance to win special prizes.
&bull; On Saturday, Oct. 1, four-time NBA champion and Tissot brand ambassador Klay Thompson will participate in a fan meet-and-greet at Tissot&rsquo;s newest concept store in Ginza, Tokyo.

A record 13 marketing partners will support The NBA Japan Games 2022 Presented by Rakuten & Nissan.

Warriors, Wizards to meet on Sept. 30, Oct. 2 in NBA Japan Games 2022

MEXICO CITY &ndash; The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Zignia today announced that the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and the three-time NBA champion Miami Heat will play a regular-season game at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Saturday, Dec. 17, marking the first NBA Mexico City Game since 2019 and the league&rsquo;s 31st game in Mexico overall, more than any country outside the U.S. and Canada. The NBA and Zignia will continue to collaborate on future NBA initiatives in Mexico over the next several years.
Tickets for The NBA Mexico City Game 2022 will go on sale at a later date. &nbsp;Beginning today and through Saturday, Sept. 3, fans interested in attending the game can register their interest in tickets and receive access to an exclusive ticket pre-sale by visiting www.nbaenmexico.com.
The Spurs are led by five-time NBA champion head coach Gregg Popovich, who during the 2021-22 season became the winningest coach in NBA history, and currently feature 2020 Olympic gold medalist Keldon Johnson, 2022 No. 9 overall pick Jeremy Sochan, and 2021 No. 12 overall pick Joshua Primo. &nbsp;The Heat are coached by Erik Spoelstra, who has led the franchise to two NBA championships, and currently feature six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler, 2020 NBA All-Star and three-time All-Defensive Second Team member Bam Adebayo, and 2021-22 Kia Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro.
The NBA Mexico City Game 2022 will air live in Mexico on ESPN, TUDN and NBA League Pass, the league&rsquo;s premium live game subscription service. &nbsp;The game will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories around the world on television, digital media and social media. &nbsp;Leading up to the game, the league and its partners will also conduct interactive fan events and NBA Cares community outreach initiatives. &nbsp;The game and surrounding events will be supported by a roster of marketing and merchandising partners, including AT&amp;T, Gatorade, Hennessy, Nike, SAP and Tissot, with additional partners to be announced in the coming months.
The Spurs made their debut in Mexico in October 1994 with two preseason games at the Palacio de los Deportes. &nbsp;Overall, the Spurs have played six games in Mexico, most recently a 121-119 overtime win against the Phoenix Suns as part of The NBA Mexico City Games 2019. &nbsp;The matchup will mark the Heat&rsquo;s second game in Mexico, after defeating the Brooklyn Nets 101-89 as part of The NBA Mexico City Games 2017.
The NBA Mexico City Game 2022 will also mark the 30th anniversary of the league&rsquo;s first game in the country, which featured the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks playing a preseason game at Mexico&rsquo;s Palacio de los Deportes in October 1992. &nbsp;Overall, 22 NBA teams have played preseason and regular-season games in Mexico.
Fans in Mexico can find more information about the NBA at NBA.com/Mexico and on Facebook (@nbamexico), Twitter (@nbamex), YouTube (NBA M&eacute;xico) and Instagram (@nbamex). &nbsp;Fans can also purchase official NBA merchandise at the NBA Store in Polanco, online via NBATienda.com, and at the Arena CDMX on game night.
Executive Quotes:
Zignia Live Director Alejandro Arce Sald&iacute;var:
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re honored that NBA games will once again be held in our country this coming December. &nbsp;We remain fully committed to enhancing the sports viewing experience for dedicated fans across Mexico, and the Arena CDMX looks forward to delivering an ideal stage to enjoy the magic of basketball with your family. &nbsp;We thank the NBA, the teams and of course the fans in Mexico for their support.&rdquo;
NBA Mexico Vice President and Managing Director Raul Zarraga:
&ldquo;We couldn&rsquo;t be more excited to bring two storied franchises with strong local fanbases to the Arena CDMX next season. &nbsp;Hosting NBA games in Mexico is an important part of our wider efforts to grow basketball and engage fans across the country, and we look forward to once again bringing the live NBA experience to our devoted fans in Mexico on December 17 and in the years to come.&rdquo;
Spurs Sports &amp; Entertainment CEO RC Buford:
&ldquo;We have played six games in Mexico City and every time thousands of Spurs fans showed up, making us feel loved and right at home. &nbsp;We are grateful for our loyal fans in Mexico and are thrilled for the opportunity to play in front of them as part of our 50th anniversary season. &nbsp;This is one way we continue to purposefully engage and celebrate our growing number of fans in Mexico.&rdquo;
The HEAT Group President of Business Operations Eric Woolworth:
&ldquo;​Doing our part to grow the game on a global level has always been important to ​the Heat. &nbsp;Mexico is our neighbor, and its citizens have shown us a tremendous amount of support. &nbsp;We&rsquo;re thrilled to return to its capital city.&rdquo;

Spurs-Heat will mark the first NBA Mexico City Game since 2019 and the league’s 31st game in Mexico overall.

NBA Mexico City Game to return with Spurs-Heat matchup on Dec. 17

TORONTO &ndash; The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that the eighth NBA Canada Series presented by Bell will feature two preseason games in Edmonton and Montreal in October 2022, marking the first time the series will be held since 2019.
On Sunday, Oct. 2, the Toronto Raptors will take on the Utah Jazz at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB, marking the first NBA Canada Series presented by Bell appearance for the Jazz and the first NBA game at Rogers Place. &nbsp;The Raptors currently feature 2019 NBA champion Pascal Siakam and 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, in addition to Quebec-natives Chris Boucher and Khem Birch and Toronto&rsquo;s Dalano Banton. &nbsp;The Jazz currently feature three-time NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell and Canadian forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
On Friday, Oct. 14, the Raptors will face the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC, marking the second NBA Canada Series presented by Bell appearance for the Celtics in Montreal (2013) and the league&rsquo;s sixth game in Montreal since 2012. &nbsp;The Celtics currently feature three-time NBA All-Star and 2021-22 All-NBA First Team member Jayson Tatum, 2020-21 NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown and 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.
Fans in Canada can register for exclusive presale ticket access at NBA.com/CanadaSeries. &nbsp;Tickets for both games will go on sale Aug. 19 through Ticketmaster. &nbsp;In addition to presenting partner Bell, supporting partners of the NBA Canada Series include Hennessy (Montreal), Michelob Ultra, Nike and Tangerine.
The two games will mark the 10-year anniversary of the first NBA Canada Series presented by Bell game, which featured the Raptors and the New York Knicks playing a preseason game in Montreal in 2012. &nbsp;In total, 14 NBA teams have participated in 14 preseason games across five provinces as part of the NBA Canada Series presented by Bell, drawing a total attendance of more than a quarter of a million Canadians.
For more information, fans in Canada can follow the NBA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. &nbsp;A full range of official NBA merchandise is available at the NBA Store in Canada by visiting NBAStore.ca.
Executive and Player Quotes:
NBA Canada Managing Director Leah MacNab:
&ldquo;As we approach 10 years since the first NBA Canada Series presented by Bell game, I am immensely proud of the positive impact this series continues to make on the Canadian basketball community &ndash; from first NBA experiences for fans and families, to hosting dozens of camps, community programs and court refurbishments, we appreciate the ongoing commitment of Bell and our teams to bring the thrill of live games to our dedicated fans across the country.
Bell Vice-President Brand &amp; Sponsorship, David Kennedy:
&ldquo;As a proud partner of both the Toronto Raptors and the league, we&rsquo;re excited to bring the live NBA experience back to fans in Edmonton and Montr&eacute;al. &nbsp;In addition to the games, our sponsorship of NBA Canada Series will include Bell for Better initiatives that will connect communities and inspire change through basketball.&rdquo;
Toronto Raptors General Manager Bobby Webster:
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s so good to once again be able to play in front of our fans across Canada. We&rsquo;re looking forward to returning to Montreal, and to playing at Rogers Place in Edmonton for the first time. It&rsquo;s a fantastic reminder, as we begin a new season, that we are Canada&rsquo;s team, and we look forward to making Raptors fans proud, no matter where they are cheering from.&rdquo;
Boston Celtics President Rich Gotham:
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited to bring Celtics basketball to fans in Montreal as part of NBA Canada Series. &nbsp;We applaud the NBA&rsquo;s continued commitment to growing the game globally.&rdquo;
Utah Jazz General Manager Justin Zanik:
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited to be featured in the preseason NBA Canada Series. &nbsp;It is a unique opportunity for our organization to engage with the league&rsquo;s Canadian fans in Edmonton. Our players and staff are looking forward to it.&rdquo;
About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. &nbsp;Built around five professional sports leagues: &nbsp;the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. &nbsp;NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries. &nbsp;NBA Digital&rsquo;s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. &nbsp;The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. &nbsp;Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

The eighth NBA Canada Series presented by Bell will feature two preseason games in Edmonton and Montreal in October 2022.

Raptors, Celtics and Jazz headline eighth NBA Canada Series

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced plans for the first NBA Week Mexico City 2021 presented by AT&amp;T, a multi-day celebration of the growth of basketball and the NBA in Mexico ahead of the league&rsquo;s 75th Anniversary Season.
NBA Week Mexico City 2021, which will take place from Thursday, Sept. 23 &ndash; Sunday, Oct. 3, will feature a wide range of experiences for fans and players, including interactive basketball-themed activities, pop-up events, youth and elite basketball development programming, and the first virtual innovation summit featuring speakers from across the NBA family, headlined by NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum and NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue.&nbsp; Fans can participate and receive access to additional information, exclusive content and more by registering at <a href="http://www.nbaweek.com.mx">www.nbaweek.com.mx</a>.
&ldquo;The NBA has incredibly dedicated fans and partners across the country, and NBA Week Mexico City is a culmination of their continued support,&rdquo; said NBA Mexico Vice President and Managing Director, Raul Zarraga.&nbsp; &ldquo;We are committed to engaging fans and players in Mexico in new and unique ways and remain focused on creating more opportunities for young people to enjoy the game.&nbsp; We&rsquo;ve never been more excited about the future of the NBA in Mexico and look forward to celebrating our 75th Anniversary Season with fans throughout the country.&rdquo;
Initial activities for NBA Week Mexico City 2021 include:
NBA Cave (Sept. 23-26)
NBA Cave is a pop-up fan experience that will be hosted next to NBA Tienda in Polanco and offer fans an array of basketball-themed games and activities.
NBA Academy Exhibition Games (Sept. 24-25)
Players from NBA Academy Latin America, NBA Academy Africa and the Atlanta-based organization The Skill Factory will compete in exhibition games at La Loma Centro Deportivo in San Luis Potos&iacute;, the home of NBA Academy Latin America.&nbsp; Games will be livestreamed on <a href="http://www.nbaweek.com.mx">www.nbaweek.com.mx</a> and called by broadcaster &Aacute;lvaro Mart&iacute;n and analyst Carlos Morales.
NBA Locker Fan Experience (Sept. 24-26)
Twelve lockers, each featuring a unique historical NBA fun fact will be placed throughout the Antara Mall in Mexico City as part of an NBA scavenger hunt.&nbsp; A map will be available on <a href="http://www.nbaweek.com.mx">www.nbaweek.com.mx</a>.&nbsp; The NBA Locker Fan Experience will also offer interactive digital content, photo opportunities and more entertainment for fans.
Her Time To Play Clinic (Sept. 25)
Former WNBA player Allison Feaster and NBA staff will lead a virtual basketball and leadership development clinic for girls ages 13-16.&nbsp; The NBA and WNBA created Her Time To Play in 2018 to inspire the next generation of girls to play basketball in a positive and healthy way and provide them with ways to engage with one another through the game.
Jr. NBA Mexico Finals (Sept. 26)
Sixteen of the top male and female youth basketball players in Mexico will compete in a virtual skills challenge via the HomeCourt app as part of the 2021 Jr. NBA Mexico Finals.&nbsp; Top performers from the qualifying competition (Sept. 8-21) on HomeCourt will earn a spot in the Finals.&nbsp; Winning boys and girls teams (4 players each) will be crowned.&nbsp; The Jr. NBA Mexico Finals will be livestreamed on <a href="http://www.nbaweek.com.mx">www.nbaweek.com.mx</a> on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 12:00 p.m. CDMX.
NBA Time Machine Experience (Sept. 28)
13 lucky influencers will be joined by an NBA legend for an NBA Time Machine Experience as they revisit a classic game and participate in a live Q&amp;A.
Innovation Summit Presented by SAP (Sept. 29)
The first NBA Week Mexico City Innovation Summit presented by SAP will bring together experts from a range of industries, including sports, entertainment and technology, for a series of virtual panels.&nbsp; Guest speakers will include NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum; NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue; NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Global Strategy &amp; Innovation Matt Wolf; NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Gaming &amp; New Business Ventures Scott Kaufman-Ross; NBA Vice President, Team Marketing &amp; Business Operations Stacy McWilliams; San Antonio Spurs Executive Vice President of Revenue, Brand &amp; Communications Brandon Gayle; SAP Mexico Head of Innovation &amp; Solutions Rosendo Perez; AT&amp;T Mexico Vice President and General Manager, Business Sales &amp; Solutions Ana Michelle; and Gatorade Sports Science Institute Latin America Scientific Consultant Lourdes Mayol.&nbsp; The panelists will discuss the NBA&rsquo;s upcoming 75th Anniversary Season, innovation across the league and its teams, the business of sports, sports betting, esports and the <a href="https://2kleague.nba.com/">NBA 2K League</a> &ndash; a professional esports league co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO), which launched in 2018 and features the best NBA 2K players in the world.
NBA Beyond the Lines Art Exhibition (Oct. 1-3)
The work of local artists showcasing the spirit of the NBA will be on display at the NBA Beyond the Lines Art Exhibition, which will be located at Lago Tanganica 67, Polanco.
In addition to AT&amp;T, partners supporting NBA Week Mexico City 2021 include Gatorade, Hennessy and SAP.&nbsp; For the latest details on NBA Week Mexico City 2021, including opportunities to participate, fans can visit <a href="http://www.nbaweek.com.mx">www.nbaweek.com.mx</a>.
Fans in Mexico can find more information&nbsp;about the NBA at <a href="http://NBA.com/Mexico">NBA.com/Mexico</a>, on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NBAMexico/">@NBAMexico</a>), Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/NBAMEX?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@NBAMEX</a>) and Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nbamex/?hl=en">(@nbamex</a>), and use the hashtags #NBAMexicoWeek and #NBA75.

The NBA will hold a multi-day celebration of the growth of basketball and the NBA in Mexico ahead of its 75th Anniversary Season.

NBA Week Mexico City to celebrate growth of basketball in Mexico

A proposition: What if you were offered 250-1 odds on a team that has led the NBA in points per game and field goal percentage since April 7? Not only that, but they have the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles playing alongside an All-Star who is second in the league in scoring.
Would you wager at those odds?
That team is the Washington Wizards, who clinched no less than 10th place in the Eastern Conference on Friday night by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 120-105. Russell Westbrook had 21 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds for his 183rd career triple-double and league-leading 37th this season, joining Hall-of-Famers John Stockton and Isiah Thomas as the only players with at least 15 assists in seven consecutive games in NBA history.
Nobody gives Washington much of a chance of winning a title, especially the sports books in the legalized U.S. sports gambling marketplace. That is why they are 250-1 at FanDuel and DraftKings, with FanDuel listing them at 120-1 to win the East. PointsBet has the Wizards at the same odds, listing the Hornets and Grizzlies at higher odds (500-1) and the Pacers and Spurs at 1000-1.
But Washington is 16-6 since April 7, having rebounded quite strongly from a start to the season that was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-troy-brown-jr-bradley-beal-russell-westbrook-outbreak-covid-19-coronavirus-virus-contract-health-safety-protocol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impacted more than most teams</a> by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-fighting-boredom-league-covid-postponements-idle-sidelines-scott-brooks-bradley-beal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coronavirus infections</a>. The Wizards were 15 games below .500 prior to that stretch, but Westbrook has been a beast with 311 of the team&rsquo;s 609 assists during the team's 16-6 streak.
"I've been in the league a long time and when you're 15 games under .500 you're thinking, &lsquo;Where are we going on vacation?'" coach Scott Brooks said.
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Washington, currently in a three-way tie with Indiana and Charlotte for the No. 8 seed, improved to 33-38 after snapping a two-game losing streak Friday night. Washington, which hosts the Hornets on the final day of the season Sunday, can still finish anywhere between No. 8 and 10. All that is known for sure is that the Wizards will be playing some place Tuesday night, along with the Boston Celtics, who will be at home.&nbsp;
Those one-and-done play-in games will have captivated audiences, as will the second round of elimination games on Thursday and Friday.
Whether it is the Wizards in the East or the Blazers, Lakers, Warriors, Grizzlies or Spurs from the West, odds are going to come down &ndash; except in the case of the Lakers, who remain the second choice to win the title behind Brooklyn at odds of 5-1.
Let&rsquo;s not forget that the Miami Heat were 10-1 to win the East when last year&rsquo;s playoffs began in the bubble, with people largely ignoring the fact that they had defeated the Milwaukee Bucks handily twice during the 2019-20 regular season.
The Wizards can still get a No. 7 seed and a matchup with Brooklyn or Milwaukee if they finish the regular season in eighth and win their play-in tournament game. If they lose Sunday to Charlotte, that would mean either a finish in ninth or 10th, meaning Washington <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explaining-the-2021-nba-play-in-tournament-structure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would have to win twice</a> to earn the No. 8 seed for a date with the Sixers. Nothing will be known until Sunday&rsquo;s games are played, but Philly swept the season series 3-0, overcoming Beal&rsquo;s 60-point outing back on Jan. 6. In the most recent meeting between the teams on March 12, Washington fell behind 32-15 after one quarter and got trounced by 26 points.&nbsp;
The Wizards went 2-1 vs. Brooklyn and 0-3 against Milwaukee.
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But with the exception of a one-point loss at Milwaukee on May 5, all of those aforementioned losses to the Nets, Sixers and Bucks transpired prior to the recent hot streak. And as we have all learned over the years, what matters most in the NBA playoffs is whether you enter with a head of steam and with a healthy roster. Beal has been out for three consecutive games with a hamstring strain. It is unknown whether he will be available Sunday.
FanDuel spokesman Kevin Hennessy said the largest wager the book had received on the Wizards to win the NBA title was $100 &ndash; a pittance in that multi-billion-dollar industry. The books have taken a ton of action on the Nets, Sixers, Lakers and Clippers, and the championship odds are more of a reflection of that reality than an accurate gauge of who has the best chance to win the title. That is why we are seeing the team with the shoo-in MVP, the Denver Nuggets, still being listed at 35-1. Portland, which is one victory away from locking down no worse than the No. 6 seed, is even higher at 80-1.
Most of the postseason awards are going to go down as runaways, with the exception of Coach of the Year, which many of the big books are not accepting bets on. One exception is FoxBet, which has it as a four-man race: &nbsp;Monty Williams of Phoenix is the favorite at -176, Tom Thibodeau of New York and Quin Snyder of Utah are both +200 and Doc Rivers is 12-1.
&ldquo;The end of the NBA season is approaching and there are clear favorites to win each of the awards. NBA MVP is the most bet prop and Nikola Jokic winning the award would be a good outcome for the sports book,&rdquo; said Seamus Magee, head sports trader at BetMGM.com.
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Here is where BetMGM&rsquo;s awards lines have gone:
MVP &ndash; Nikola Jokic
<ul>
<li>Line movement: Opened +2500, now -2000</li>
<li>Ticket%: 13%</li>
<li>Handle%: 42%</li>
</ul>
Rookie of the Year &ndash; LaMelo Ball
<ul>
<li>Line movement: Opened +400, now -750</li>
<li>Ticket%: 27%</li>
<li>Handle%: 71%</li>
</ul>
Defensive Player of the Year &ndash; Rudy Gobert
<ul>
<li>Line movement: Opened +300, now -1600</li>
<li>Ticket%: 10%</li>
<li>Handle%: 65%</li>
</ul>
Most Improved Player &ndash; Julius Randle
<ul>
<li>Line movement: Opened +900, now -5000</li>
<li>Ticket%: 19%</li>
<li>Handle%: 61%</li>
</ul>
Sixth Man of the Year &ndash; Jordan Clarkson
<ul>
<li>Line movement: Opened +900, now -1000</li>
<li>Ticket%: 17%</li>
<li>Handle%: 72%</li>
</ul>

Washington is 16-6 since April 7, having rebounded quite strongly from a start to the season that was impacted more than most teams by COVID.

NBA title oddsmakers have Wizards listed at 250-1 in spite of second-half rise

FORT LEE, N.J. -- &ldquo;Which Starbucks?&rdquo; the police officer was asked.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s gotta be the one at Linwood Plaza,&rdquo; a friendly officer with the name tag Liguori responded.
&ldquo;We get &lsquo;suspicious person&rsquo; calls on the place all the time.&rdquo;
Those &rdquo;suspicious&rdquo; people are actually New Yorkers with too much time and too much money. They are flocking to Fort Lee, N.J. every single day with so much gambling gusto that they have made the border town of approximately 40,000 people &mdash; the first exit in New Jersey after crossing the George Washington Bridge from New York &mdash; one of the top gambling hotspots in the entire United States.
Sportsbook insiders say Fort Lee is often pulling in more money on any given day than the entire state of Nevada, as the U.S. legalized sports gambling marketplace continues to boom. Often, those bets come in from the parking lots of three Starbucks coffee shops near highway exit ramps. Sports gambling will be legal in New York eventually, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/new-york-sports-gambling-law-doomed-to-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the law passed earlier this month at the state capitol in Albany is problematic</a>.
&ldquo;I was talking to an [NBA] owner who told me in three-to-five years, we will not even need the TV money. That&rsquo;s how big this thing is going to be,&rdquo; Charles Barkley said to BasketballNews.com, who quipped after the 2007 NBA All-Star game in Las Vegas that the oversized $50,000 check he was handling represented &ldquo;two hands of blackjack.&rdquo;
Barkley is well-versed in gambling, and so are more and more Americans as the nation continues to pass gambling legalization laws nearly three years after the Supreme Court overturned PASPA &ndash; the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, allowing states to make their own rules.
New Jersey, which was the plaintiff in Christie v. NCAA &mdash; the lawsuit that led to the overturning of PASPA &mdash; is one of two states, along with Michigan, that allows gamblers to wager on both sports and casino games from their phones.
New York has legalized sports gambling, but will not have it up and running for several months, and New Yorkers are seeking someplace to have a little action. They are ponying up the $16 toll to drive to New Jersey and back into NY via the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel or Holland Tunnel, or are boarding trains that travel under the Hudson River and heading into New Jersey&rsquo;s border cities and towns, including Hoboken and Jersey City. As a result, they&rsquo;ve become the gambling capitals of America -- in terms of where the most money is being wagered.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fortleestarbucks_lg.jpg" alt="" />
Sports gambling industry insiders explained that smartphone technology allows them to &lsquo;ping&rsquo; with high levels of precision to discover where wagers are coming from, and a small strip mall in Fort Lee with an H-Mart, a pizzeria and a teeny-tiny Starbucks is lighting up the geo-locator boards at the books.
&ldquo;What we also are seeing consistently is that East Rutherford, the Meadowlands, has become the No. 1 sportsbook on the East Coast in terms of the number of bets, and anecdotally, it is bigger than anything in Las Vegas on a daily basis,&rdquo; said Kevin Hennessey, a spokesman for FanDuel. &ldquo;Twenty five percent of our customer base is New Yorkers, and 50% of our daily handle comes from the Meadowlands.&rdquo;
PointsBet spokesman Patrick Eichner said the border town phenomenon in Northern New Jersey is similar to what they were seeing before Pennsylvania legalized sports gambling.
&ldquo;We were getting heavy traffic from Camden and Cherry Hill, places just across the water from Philadelphia. Now, going on the PATH train to New Jersey and placing bets on games, then grabbing breakfast and going back to New York on an NFL Sunday has become a ritual.&rdquo;
All of the sportsbooks guard their financial information very closely, and none were willing to quantify exactly how much money they are handling on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. But sports gambling stocks have been very strong since the pandemic shut down most of the world, with Penn National Gaming closing at $99.94 on Friday on the NASDAQ. It was trading at $7.89 on March 20, 2020.
DraftKings stock closed at $57.98 Friday, up from $12.25 on March 30, 2020. Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming is up 96 percent since debuting on the market last June, and tracking the hottest sports gaming company stocks <a href="https://money.usnews.com/investing/stock-market-news/slideshows/stocks-to-bet-on-sports-gambling">has become a bit of an obsession</a> for day traders and large investors alike.
Talented gamblers are known as &ldquo;sharps,&rdquo; and semi-retired New York sportswriter and broadcaster Andy Roth is now making a living by gambling, having to cross state lines to do it.
He is sitting on several Most Improved Player tickets on Julius Randle of the New York Knicks at odds as high as 65-1, and his Defensive Player of the Year Strategy was to play Ben Simmons of Philadelphia at 40-1, Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers at 100-1 and Rudy Gobert at 3-1. Simmons ($17,000) and Turner ($14,000) would provide the biggest payouts, and Roth feels fortunate to have gotten those wagers in because BetMGM and Borgata have tagged him as a sharp. The last time he tried to wager at BetMGM, they limited his maximum wager to 70 cents.
Last season, Roth made $3,000 on a $150 wager on Nick Nurse to win Coach of the Year and the Toronto Raptors to win the Atlantic Division.
&ldquo;The trick is being able to ID talent that bookmakers cannot see and odds that are the wrong price, and it&rsquo;s no secret that the oddsmakers are not all that good at pricing the futures market,&ldquo; said Roth, who also has an open ticket on Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers to win the National League Cy Young Award at spring training odds of 50-1.
The odds on Burnes, who has 30 strikeouts and no walks allowed on 18 &frac12; innings this season (allowing only four hits with an ERA of 0.49) have dropped to 5-1.
Obviously, Roth &mdash; a New York resident &mdash; has found a way to make it work. Judging by the amount of action we're now seeing in New Jersey, scores of others are, as well.

Believe it or not, some small municipalities in New Jersey are now seeing more sports gambling action than any casino in Las Vegas.

New Jersey border towns surpass Las Vegas as sports gambling hotspot

Joel Embiid is not the NBA MVP favorite anymore. He is not even second. That spot now belongs to Nikola Jokic. 
The All-Star center for the Philadelphia now sits in third place after injuring his left knee -- the team is calling it a bone bruise. The Sixers said he will be re-evaluated in two weeks, and multiple media outlets said he could be back in three weeks.
DraftKings, the No. 2 sports gambling site in the legalized U.S. marketplace, took down its MVP odds overnight and then put them back up at midday Saturday. LeBron James is back to being the favorite at 3/2 (+150), and Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is second at 2-1.&nbsp;
Embiid is +426 at DraftKings and +600 at FanDuel, where spokesman Kevin Hennesey said he has the book&rsquo;s single biggest liability all season in the MVP market. 
DraftKings had its own sentiment. 
&ldquo;The news could have been worse,&rdquo; said Johnny Avello, head oddsmaker at DraftKings. &ldquo;The guy was putting up MVP numbers every single night, but LeBron was right behind him, and money continues to flow in on LeBron. Also, three weeks could turn into something more, whereas there are no unknowns with the other two guys (James and Jokic)."
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Philadelphia has a one-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets as the top team in the Eastern Conference heading into Saturday night&rsquo;s games, as Doc Rivers and Co. have won four in a row. In fact, the top four teams in the conference &ndash; the Sixers, Nets, Bucks and Heat &ndash; have all begun to string together winning streaks.
The Nets have 3/1 odds and the Sixers are 12/1 to win the championship, a sign that gamblers are putting their team bets on Brooklyn even though Embiid has been drawing a large percentage of the MVP money.
&ldquo;LeBron James is now the favorite at +150 in the MVP market at the FanDuel Sportsbook. Embiid&rsquo;s recent injury news has moved Jokic (+230) and James ahead of the 76ers' big man. Embiid has been a customer favorite all year," FanDuel's Hennesy said. "He opened the season at +3600 and Embiid&rsquo;s impressive season has seen his MVP odds go below +550 and garner 20% of all bets in the MVP market. The MVP race is going to be interesting to watch."
The news also comes as gamblers are turning their attention to the NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis, where most of America will get its first extended look as projected No. 1 draft pick Cade Cunningham and Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have reached the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament and will be on ESPN tonight against Texas.&nbsp;
But back to the subject matter -- the Embiid injury looked quite serious when it happened, and a stretcher was brought onto the court before Embiid walked off under his own power.
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Despite the sportsbooks pretty much making it look like a three-man race, NBA writers typically do not make up their minds about an award this early in the season. They did last year with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but that was under different circumstances because the Bucks had a 53-12 record when the season was halted due to the pandemic. Nine times out of 10, maybe more, the award is up for grabs at the midway point of the season.
This season, James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets is a viable candidate, as is Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, who took a five-game winning streak into Saturday night&rsquo;s game against Indiana and have won 17 of their last 20. Like Harden in Brooklyn, Booker faces the prospect of a teammate (Chris Paul) getting equal credit for his team&rsquo;s success.
But this award is going to be won over the second half of the season, and Booker is currently 150-1 at DraftKings. That is not a misprint.

Chris Sheridan checks into the NBA MVP race following Joel Embiid's latest setback.

LeBron James reclaims lead in MVP race, Joel Embiid drops to third after knee injury

Quite a showing by the Brooklyn Nets last night in Los Angeles, beating the Lakers by nine points despite being a 3-point underdog. There is a trend developing here, and it is making the sportsbooks nervous.
The Nets are now 19-12 and riding a five-game winning streak, one game back of the Philadelphia 76ers as they spend two off days in the relative comfort of Los Angeles (instead of in the frigid temperatures back home in Brooklyn) awaiting their game with the Clippers.
The Nets preceded last night&rsquo;s victory over the Lakers with road wins over the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors after a home win against the Indiana Pacers. &nbsp;
They were 8-point underdogs against the Suns (they covered by 12), 4.5-point favorites over the Kings (they covered by 6.5), &nbsp;3.5-point favorites over the Warriors, (they covered by 13.5), and 1-point underdogs against the Pacers (they covered by 11).
At DraftKings Sportsbook, Brooklyn is +400 (or 4-1) to win the championship, while Philadelphia is 12-1 and Milwaukee is 7-1. This is a reflection of how much money is being gambled on the Nets, most of it in the neighboring state of New Jersey because legalized sports gambling has not yet been adopted by New York &ndash; although legislation sponsored by assemblymen Gary Pretlow and Joe Addabbo has been reintroduced in the state capital of Albany.
An estimated 30 percent of the $11.847 billion wagered in New Jersey since PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on May 14, 2018 has been wagered by so-called commuter bettors &ndash; New Yorkers who drive over the George Washington Bridge or through the Lincoln Tunnel to place bets on their smartphones.
The industry is one of the few acute growth businesses in the U.S. economy, and it is only a matter of time before gambling is legal in 49 states (we will always have Utah).&nbsp;
What was striking about the Nets&rsquo; victory last night in Los Angeles was the way they dominated throughout, winning every quarter except the fourth, in which they entered with a 16-point lead. This was despite being without Kevin Durant, whose hamstring injury is healing slowly.&nbsp;
James Harden has turned into the de facto point guard, and his assist totals over the past five games have been 11, 11, 14, 16 and 5. Of the 17 games he has played for Brooklyn, Harden has only failed to reach double figures in assists two times, and he has a commanding average lead (11.3) over Russell Westbrook (9.5) for the league leader in that category.
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Harden is 66-1 for MVP at DraftKings Sportsbook, 46-1 at FanDuel Sportsbook, 50-1 at PointsBet.com and BetMGM.com. At WilliamHill.com, Harden is 30-1.
&ldquo;Our biggest exposure in the championship futures market is the Sixers, who have been No.1 pretty much the whole year. A lot of that is because we are strong in Pennsylvania and New Jersey,&rdquo; said Kevin Hennessy, a spokesman for FanDuel. &ldquo;The Nets are our No. 2 liability.&rdquo;
Johnny Avello, head oddsmaker at DraftKings, said the Lakers represented their No. 1 exposure, with the Sixers and Nets second and third.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We started seeing money come in on the Nets and Sixers when it looked like those were the two places he was going to go. And even last year pre-bubble when folks thought Durant might play, we took money on the Nets,&rdquo; Avello said.
Very little money is being wagered on Harden for MVP at DraftKings.
&ldquo;LeBron is now at +140, and for a long time he was at +800 to +1000, so that is where the money is going,&rdquo; Avello said.
At PointsBet, the action has been on...wait for it...the Houston Rockets.
&ldquo;In terms of liabilities, the Nets are our second-worst result (behind the Houston Rockets)...so realistically, they are our worst result to win the NBA Title," PointsBet spokesman Patrick Eichner said. &ldquo;The current breakdown of worst results for PB on MVP is as follows: Rudy Gobert, LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson, Harden." &nbsp; At BetMGM, only 0.4 percent of the MVP handle is on Harden. The Nets account for 16 percent of the handle in the championship futures market, and the Lakers account for 66 percent, BetMGM spokesman John Ewing said.

Chris Sheridan checks into the latest run by the Nets and how it's affected their NBA championship odds.

Brooklyn Nets bettors are getting rewarded for their patience

Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz will be going up against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight in a game that the national networks will be ignoring, which is puzzling because marquee matchups don&rsquo;t get much better than this.
Instead, we will get Peilcans-Mavericks and Grizzzlies-Lakers on ESPN, because those seemed like the two best games of the night back when the first half of the NBA schedule was released.
And as a result, Mitchell will again toil in relative anonymity as he tries to surpass 30 points for the fourth time in six games this month and as Utah goes for its 17th win in 18 games.
If the Jazz keep this up, they are going to become the NBA&rsquo;s &ldquo;it&rdquo; team &ndash; just like the Bucks were at this time a year ago. But they are not there yet, and Mitchell is on the board at 100-1 in the Most Valuable Player race at almost every sportsbook in the legalized U.S. sports gambling market.
Why?
&ldquo;Nobody has bet him except in drops and drabs,&rdquo; said Johnny Avello, the head oddsmaker at DraftKings Sportsbook. &ldquo;If someone wants to bet him at 100-1, there he is. But he is going to have to sustain what he has been doing, and is that going to continue?&rdquo;
DK has 12 players listed with lower odds, led by LeBron James at 5-2 and followed by Joel Embiid at 4-1. Both of those players have been having phenomenal seasons and are the alpha dogs for teams at the top of their conferences, and they have been drawing a lion&rsquo;s share of the wagers because they play in huge markets and have large fan bases.
That is not the case for Utah, which gets things done using a committee of three-point shooters with Rudy Gobert anchoring the middle. Mitchell&rsquo;s stats are very solid but not spectacular, but if the Jazz run the table in their next five games (Milwaukee, Miami, Philadelphia and then two straight on the road against the Clippers) he will not be on the board at 100-1.
Those 100-1 odds are also on the board at FanDuel, PointsBet and BetMGM, while William Hill has him at 80-1.
&ldquo;As a percentage of total handle on the market, we&rsquo;re holding 0.3% of handle on Donovan Mitchell for MVP (compare that to say LeBron who we are holding 30% of total handle on),&rdquo; FanDuel spokesman Kevin Hennessey said.
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Mitchell is having an excellent year, but his numbers are almost identical to last season. Mitchell is also a bit cursed by the team nature of Utah&rsquo;s great play, and while he&rsquo;s the offensive leader of the team, he doesn&rsquo;t need to shoulder a level of responsibility compared to some of the other top players in the MVP conversation.
"The Jazz look terrific and could very well be the No. 1 seed in the West this season, but it&rsquo;s more of a rounded team effort than other top-tier candidates who have their teams up [at] the top almost seemingly on their own," Hennessey added.
Indeed, Mitchell is 15th in the league in scoring (24.0 points per game), just ahead of James Harden (23.8) and just behind Paul George (24.4) &ndash; both of whom have shorter odds.
FanDuel Sportsbook and PointsBet.com have 13 players listed ahead of him, BetMGM.com has 14 players listed ahead of Mitchell.
&ldquo;Mitchell has not attracted much attention from bettors to win the NBA MVP. Despite Utah having the best record in the league, the Jazz&rsquo;s superstar is +10000 to win MVP,&rdquo; said Jason Scott, VP of Trading at BetMGM.
William Hill has just eight individuals listed ahead of Mitchell. They lowered his odds from 80-1 to 40-1 overnight Thursday for reasons that were not immediately known. (The company&rsquo;s communications director position is unfilled).
The Jazz&rsquo;s success has been the subject of humor from the TNT crew that has been broadcasting on Tuesday and Thursday nights and also will be broadcasting the All-Star game, and rest assured that Mitchell will be one of the 12 players selected to the West team. (He is currently fourth among Western Conference guards, according to the second All-Star voting returns released on Thursday).
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And while James certainly appears to be a worthy candidate, this is a crucial juncture of the season in terms of MVP voters starting to lean one way or another. As you may recall, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks had the award all but wrapped up by late February a year ago, although James was gaining a head of steam by the time the season was halted because of the pandemic.
Utah is 20-5, and if the Jazz run the table over their next five games, they will be 25-5. If that happens, we will not be seeing Mitchell at 100-1, because folks are going to bet on him.
For now, though, they are not.
&ldquo;While Mitchell is a phenomenal player and is certainly a valuable asset to the Jazz, he does not have the individual numbers and does not do enough outside of scoring to currently be considered a real threat to take home the MVP,&rdquo; said Patrick Eichner of PointsBet.
We shall see. The season is still young and Utah is a 1 &frac12; point favorite over Milwaukee tonight after the line opened at 2.

Why isn't Donovan Mitchell getting more love in the MVP race? Chris Sheridan asked oddsmakers about his 100-1 odds and lack of bets.

Sam