Pacers enjoy China Games as experiences

The Indiana Pacers would like to experience a happy China tour than a typical preseason game when they set off the second meeting with the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in Beijing.


Carmelo Anthony of Denver Nuggets shoots during the trainning session on the eve of the NBA pre-season game against Indiana Pacers at Wukesong Arena in Beijing, Oct. 10, 2009. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)

"It's a great honor to play in other countries, and it's also a great experience," said Pacers' head coach Jim O'Brien on Saturday, who had his first oversea NBA game as a coach. "I'd like to know more about the Chinese culture and to have more Chinese food."

The Pacers beat the Nuggets 126-104 in the first of the two-stop China Games at Chinese Taipei on Thursday when they buried 16 three-pointers.

"Tomorrow's game is a game we don't want to lose," O'Brien added.

Sunday's game will be the eighth NBA preseason game played in China and the third in Beijing.

"We'll come all out for the victory, at least to give out a competitive game," said Carmelo Anthony, who had 17 points and four rebounds, but shot 6-out-of-15 in the field and had five turnovers in Thursday's loss.

The teams arrived at Beijing early on Saturday morning and showed up during a warm-up at noon at the Wukesong Stadium, where the United States basketball teams won the gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

"It's a stadium equal to many NBA stadiums and even bigger. It's feeling good to play here," O'Brien said.

Anthony was one of the members of the national team last August here.

"I feel familiar with everything here. It's nice to be back here. Winning the Olympic gold medal was like a dream. I don't want to wake up," Anthony said.


Chauncey Billups(left) of Denver Nuggets dribbles the ball through during the trainning session on the eve of the NBA pre-season game against Indiana Pacers at Wukesong Arena in Beijing, Oct. 10, 2009. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)

Source:Xinhua