NBA games in China in doubt

An event in Shanghai scheduled for Wednesday to benefit the Special Olympics
featuring the Lakers was canceled hours before it was to begin.

Another fan experience event also was pulled from the schedule of events
around the appearance of the Lakers in China, the latest maneuver from the
hosts underlining the depth of the fallout from Houston Rockets general
manager Daryl Morey's comments last week.

There is growing speculation the two NBA games scheduled to be played in China
this week will not be played.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated said Wednesday on "The Dan Patrick Show"
the games could be canceled. Dave McMenamin reported on ESPN's "Outside the
Lines" that the games are in doubt over safety concerns. The network's Rachel
Nichols reported the NBA doesn't want to cancel games, but said all NBA and
player signage -- massive images of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a 20-foot
NBA logo on the arena -- was removed Wednesday by a single worker operating a
crane.

State television broadcaster CCTV announced Tuesday that neither NBA game in
the country would be televised. All 11 wholly owned Chinese companies with
official partnerships with the NBA have severed ties with the NBA, CNN
reported Wednesday afternoon.

The NBA said it did not cancel either fan event, one day after NBA
commissioner Adam Silver said the league regretted the consequences -- but not
the spirit -- of Morey's tweet supporting Hong Kong's democratic revolution.

The league did cancel media availability on Wednesday.

"Given the fluidity of the situation, today's media availability has been
postponed," the league said in a statement.

--Field Level Media