NBA

The NBA Japan Games 2022 have come and gone, but Japanese fans are eager for more live viewing opportunities and the growth of the league in their country.

“Just to play in front of Japanese fans, it was a very special moment for me and the team and the country,” he said. “It was one of the great memories in my life,” he added. “I attended Game 1 and Saturday Night of the NBA Japan Games, Kokushi said. “This whole trip was special and different.” “It was a special moment for me, and this team, this country,” he said. “That’s what the game is about,” he said. While many Japanese kids play basketball in junior high and high school, its popularity as a spectator sport remains limited, so reaching adolescents at the age when basketball is a bigger part of their lives makes sense. “The best way to enjoy sports, not only the NBA, is to watch them live in an arena,” said Makoto Kokushi, a Los Angeles Lakers fan from Tokyo who works in the printing and publishing industry. Tanaka, for one, became an NBA fan in 2007 as a junior high school student when the league was still on TV, a fandom which has now persisted 15 years and counting. “Trying to build inspiration, confidence, fun for the next generation of kids that look up to us and love basketball, love sports.” “This showed us tons of Japanese guys love NBA Games.” And those experiences imprint, and make a level of difference.”

With the NBA set to begin the 2022-23 season on Tuesday night, the Duke men's basketball program has 25 members of The Brotherhood on opening-day rosters.

16, Atlanta), Moore (No. 15, Charlotte), Griffin (No. 26, Dallas) and Keels (No. That includes 1984 Duke graduate Adam Silver The overall No. ), Charlotte (

Who will win each conference and the NBA Finals? When will LeBron surpass Kareem as the all-time scoring champ? Our experts are making their predictions.

Tim MacMahon: Bucks over Warriors in 6 Tim Legler: Warriors over Bucks in 6 [What to know for '22-23](/nba/story/_/id/34795174/nba-season-preview-2022-23-contenders-stars-big-questions) James is 1,325 points behind [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4145/kareem-abdul-jabbar)'s mark, so we should expect the record to be broken some time near the 2022-23 season's second half. And while our expert panel places the defending champs among the contenders to reach the Finals again in 2023, we weren't as kind to the Celtics. [LA Clippers](/nba/team/_/name/lac/la-clippers) were a trendy pick among our panel, and rightfully so.

Coming into the new NBA season, things feel more wide open, with more possible contenders than last season. At the same time, however, we could have on our ...

And if the former happens, why not look to trade Durant and bottom out in the hopes of a big prize that could jump-start a rebuild. There’s a fair bit of parity among the top teams in the NBA coming into the season. He came into training camp in tremendous shape as a sign that he’s looking to be a lot more serious than in seasons past but the Harden that shows up in the fall and winter is often different than the one that has played in the spring. For everyone else, however, including the teams that might only be fighting to make the playoffs or the play-in games, expect to see an intense race to the bottom for a chance to draft Wembanyama. Now, the Suns will have to deal with this fallout as the very foundation of the organization has been rocked and is about to be upheaved, all the while also dealing with an unhappy Deandre Ayton, who returns after the off-sheet he signed with the Pacers was matched by the Suns. But things can change at the trade deadline this season or even in the 2023 off-season. What should be a strong Warriors team coming in to defend its title might actually be a fractured club, though, thanks to the ugly altercation between Green and Poole that blew up all over social media. Memphis won 56 games last season and finished second in the Western Conference and there’s no reason to believe they can’t do the same or even better this season. There’s not much weakness to point to with this roster other than the injury bug. Their acquisition of Christian Wood from the Rockets appears like a good move, but he’s only ever put up numbers on a bad Houston Rockets team and is entering a contract year where he’ll be asked to come off the bench. That’s the question of the season for the Nuggets. As mentioned off the top, there are quite a few legitimate contenders to consider coming into the season.

Rookie Bennedict Mathurin is among the more exciting young Canadian players entering this season with immense potential. The Montreal native was picked sixth ...

I think more aspiration, more inspiration, more young players coming into the game and more great Canadian players in the future." Mathurin, 20, entered the league having been a consensus second-team all-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year in his sophomore year at Arizona. And now he's starting his rookie season with the Pacers. The six-foot-nine centre played 80 games last season averaging 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a night. "He was our first-ever Canadian player to join the NBA Academy in Latin America. The Montreal native was picked sixth overall in the 2022 draft by the Indiana Pacers. We've continued to see that the game is at an all-time high," Troy Justice, NBA vice-president and head of international basketball development, told The Canadian Press. Murray, a guard for the Denver Nuggets, will be making his long-awaited return after a torn ACL kept him out of action all of last season. Wiggins, of Thornhill, Ont., headlines the Canadian delegation fresh off an NBA title win with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors rewarded him with a four-year, US$109-million extension on Sunday. The previous record of players for Canada was 18 from last season. "There is an investment in growing the game of basketball, an intentional investment, to ensure that there's opportunities and pathways for players around the globe.

The influx of talent from north of the border is not new to the NBA. Over the years, Canadian players have continuously made their way through the NCAA and onto ...

Wiggins, 27, made his first all-star team last season as one of the best two-way players in the league. Over the years, Canadian players have continuously made their way through the NCAA and onto the league rosters. A record of 22 Canadians will be on opening-night rosters in the NBA, which tips off the 2022-23 season on Tuesday.

(Bloomberg) -- On a recent Sunday afternoon, a basketball fan in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey took his seat for a preseason NBA game in a sold-out arena.

“Warriors are the biggest team in the country and Rakuten gets credit for that. "We have one of the most global and diverse fan bases around the world of any sports property," the NBA's Tatum said in a Bloomberg Television interview Monday. The company’s regional headquarters is in Silicon Valley and executives say investing in the Warriors has been a big plus for recruitment and employee satisfaction. Rakuten and the Warriors renewed and expanded their pact in May — excellent timing because the team won the championship a month later. All of it was organized by the NBA and Rakuten Group Inc., a Japanese e-commerce giant that's been leveraging its sponsorship of the Warriors to build name recognition in the US. Scores of people packed in to watch a pair of preseason games between the Washington Wizards — featuring Rui Hachimura, one of two Japanese players in the NBA — and the reigning champion Golden State Warriors.

The rise of basketball talent coming from north of the border only continues to grow as the years pass. A record 23 Canadians will be on opening-night ...

I think more aspiration, more inspiration, more young players coming into the game and more great Canadian players in the future." Mathurin, 20, entered the league having been a consensus second-team all-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year in his sophomore year at Arizona. And now he's starting his rookie season with the Pacers. The six-foot-nine centre played 80 games last season averaging 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a night. "He was our first-ever Canadian player to join the NBA Academy in Latin America. The Montreal native was picked sixth overall in the 2022 draft by the Indiana Pacers. We've continued to see that the game is at an all-time high," Troy Justice, NBA vice-president and head of international basketball development, told The Canadian Press. Murray, a guard for the Denver Nuggets, will be making his long-awaited return after a torn ACL kept him out of action all of last season. Wiggins, of Thornhill, Ont., headlines the Canadian delegation fresh off an NBA title win with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors rewarded him with a four-year, US$109-million extension on Sunday. The previous record of players for Canada was 18 from last season. "There is an investment in growing the game of basketball, an intentional investment, to ensure that there's opportunities and pathways for players around the globe.

Find out why millions of sports fans trust theScore as their number one sports app! theScore App screen. In-depth stats & matchup coverage; Lightning fast ...

Tucker](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/24498) and [Danuel House](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/24394), and sent relatively little to the Memphis Grizzlies for [De'Anthony Melton](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/53030). [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/30611), who owns the slightest of edges with three votes, has previously won the accolade. Bickerstaff, Nate McMillan, and Chris Finch are aiming to navigate rejuvenated rosters on the [Cleveland Cavaliers](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/7), [Atlanta Hawks](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/11), and [Minnesota Timberwolves](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/27), respectively, who each made a hefty offseason trade for a star. [Sacramento Kings](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/20) may have found their own gem in [Keegan Murray](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/102776). [New Orleans Pelicans](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/24) are banking on Willie Green to inspire a team boosted by the return of [Zion Williamson](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/69536). [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/25) expected to come in last after trading rising guard [Dejounte Murray](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/46143). [Rudy Gobert](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/30615) from the Jazz. The [Orlando Magic](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/14), who surprised many by selecting [Paolo Banchero](https://www.thescore.com/nba/players/102767) after winning the 2022 lottery, also received a nod. Wood and Brogdon are interesting candidates - both were full-time starters in 2021-22 but are expected to come off the bench for new teams this season. Notably, no one backed the star-studded [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/2) to make the East finals. [Golden State Warriors](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/16) getting a chance to defend their crown. Despite their sudden coaching change, the [Boston Celtics](https://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/1) are also picked to make an East finals appearance.

Coach of the Year? Sixth Man? Best rookie? All-NBA? Sam predicts the future of the 2022-23 NBA season.

But he’s a remarkable competitor, and one of the smartest players in the league, like the quarterback who knows where the receiver will be. I’m going with my heart again with Lauri Markkanen second since with the tanking Jazz he’s going to get a lot of shots. If he survives the season and the nor’easters he gets in the top three along with Patrick Williams. I like the share these kinds of awards, but Smart would be in there again and may be better than everyone. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. It’s too automatic and unimaginative to give the award to the No. This is the award I like the least because of its arbitrary nature and varying definitions and standards. I watched him occasionally with LeBron’s asterisk bubble title a few years back, and he seemed something of a mini Scalabrine with the head band and standing ovations in garbage time. But nobody in the NBA today—sorry, LeBron—makes a difference in games and winning like Curry does, and that’s what the award is about. The rest my my ballot would be Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, whom I think now is the best in game coach in the league, but I guess I’m just as guilty for again denying him the award he’s never won and probably should have three times. The complication, of course, in all of this is the Victor Wembanyana race to the bottom. Nobody still impacts the league more than Curry, and that’s what the award is about.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 35 points and the Celtics beat the 76ers 126-117 on Tuesday night in the NBA season opener.

The 10-time All-Star frustrated the Celtics, displaying the mobility he was missing a year ago. He was able to get to the free throw line often. The 76ers are looking to contend with the top teams in the Eastern Conference with Harden embarking on his first full season in Philadelphia after being swapped for Ben Simmons late last season in a trade with Brooklyn.

Two big matchups involving four of the NBA's marquee franchises provides a glorious opening night of the 2022-23 regular season. Max Sussman provides his ...

[Golden State Warriors](/basketball/nba/teams/golden-state-warriors/) (-6, -245) – 10:30 p.m. Tucker](/basketball/nba/players/p-j-tucker/229602) OVER 0.5 three-pointers made as well. The NBA’s top sneakerhead has built a career on hitting corner threes, and he averaged nearly two made threes per game during the time he played with [James Harden](/basketball/nba/players/james-harden/395388) in Houston. Jumping on the OVER on Joel Embiid’s points (27.5) is one of my favourite player props of the night. Anthony Davis has been abandoned by his jump shot over the last two seasons, something the Warriors are surely aware of. Golden State was elite against the spread at home last season, covering 60.4 per cent of the time as As I said in my piece about my year-long betting strategies, I love Wiggins when that number is below 8.5, so give me Andrew Wiggins OVER 6.5 rebounds. I like Philadelphia (+2.5) to win this game outright, so I’ll take the points the books are giving. The rebounding total for He averaged more than 30 a game last season, he’s going to be angry all year about not winning the MVP, and he’ll be the biggest and best man in the paint no matter who Boston puts on the floor. The Sixers seem like the team most likely to make the leap from playoff team to true title contender. Bust out Andy Williams because it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Everything you need to know about 76ers-Celtics and Lakers-Warriors as the 2022-23 season tips off.

Harden then allowed [Jayson Tatum](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4065648/jayson-tatum) to coast by him for a layup on the following possession, and Embiid then committed his third foul at the other end. [Marcus Smart](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2990992/marcus-smart) gets tangled up with Philly's [Joel Embiid](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3059318/joel-embiid), who hooked his arm and drew a foul. While [Marcus Smart](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2990992/marcus-smart) was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year last season, it was Horford (third in NBA) and [Robert Williams III](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066211/robert-williams-iii) (11th) who had the highest Defensive Real Plus Minus (DRPM) scores on the team. For all of the understandable focus on [Stephen Curry](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3975/stephen-curry)'s heroics in that series, Boston lost because its offense couldn't get it done against Golden State's defense. [LeBron James](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james) at power forward. He has already drawn three 3-point shooting fouls, including a completed four-point play, and also became the first player in the NBA to shoot the free throw for the new take-foul rule at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter. [Steph Curry](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3975/stephen-curry) era, but the franchise has leaned into their total titles in new signage around the Chase Center. [Jaylen Brown](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3917376/jaylen-brown) then came over and got in Embiid's face. [What to know about all 30 teams](/nba/story/_/id/34795174/nba-season-preview-2022-23-contenders-stars-big-questions) [Al Horford](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3213/al-horford) is plus-12 in 18 minutes played even though he's only 1-for-4 from the field for 3 points. [Golden State Warriors](/nba/team/_/name/gs/golden-state-warriors) received their rings after winning their fourth title in the past eight seasons. "We don't want to be one of those teams -- and you very rarely see that in the NBA -- where teams are swaying according to who their opponent is starting," Ham said during his pregame remarks.

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Warriors received their 2021-22 NBA championship rings during a special pregame ceremony Tuesday during Champions Ring ...

Next month, the Warriors Community Foundation and Chase will launch a Championship Ring Sweepstakes, offering Warriors fans a chance to win an authentic 2021-22 NBA championship ring. Additional features on the sides of the ring include seven championship trophies to represent the franchise’s seven NBA championships, the team’s “Just Us” mantra, and more. [approximately 16 carats](https://www.nba.com/warriors/photos/warriors-2022-championship-rings) of yellow and white diamonds set into yellow gold to represent the team’s 16 wins during the 2022 NBA playoffs, marking the first time a championship ring has been made up primarily of yellow diamonds.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 35 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 126-117 on Tuesday night in the opening game of the ...

… Shot 71% in the second quarter with no turnovers. The uniforms included 11 gold diamonds down the sides, signifying the 11 championships Russell helped bring Boston during his career. The 10-time All-Star frustrated the Celtics, displaying the mobility he was missing a year ago. “I think at the end of the game, the 'Let's go Celtics! He was able to get to the free throw line often. “It was just unique and special," Brown said.

The 2022-23 NBA season returns Tuesday. Here are our predictions on who will win the NBA Finals and additional award winners.

Two teams out West that could be in for something special if the stars align are the Pelicans with a healthy Zion Williamson and the Kings with their depth-filled roster. The Atlanta Hawks could jump back into the top tier of teams after landing Dejounte Murray while the Pacers and Detroit Pistons should both be fun to watch but not at serious playoff levels just yet. [Rookie of the Year](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/here-are-nba-rookie-year-favorites-2022-23), it’s fair to say [Sacramento Kings](https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/kings) forward Keegan Murray is the rookie who will contribute the most out of the gate and claim the award. Based on my NBA Finals predictions, it would be safe to presume that Jokić and Antetokounmpo are once again in the conversation, along with Ja Morant, Curry and Tatum. New Orleans could be in for a 2021-22 Grizzlies jump in the standings while Sacramento could have a 2020-21 Grizzlies mini-breakout year. Rudy Gobert is probably in line for his record-tying fourth Defensive Player of the Year award now that he’s tasked with cleaning up alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota. An underrated name here could be Cleveland Cavaliers second-year center Evan Mobley, who came on strong as a rookie and has more potential in him. 8 overall pick to the New Orleans Pelicans. Generally, teams that thrive in the postseason atmosphere possess superstars who defy the opposition’s tactics offensively and deploy a foundation of switchable defenders who are disciplined and can handle multiple positions. He brings both of those factors and raises the level of quality on the court. Another one is Dyson Daniels, the No. Most teams have a clean slate right now, especially with Kawhi Leonard returning to the

With so many intriguing storylines around the NBA, there will be games worth watching every night.

7:30 p.m. [NBA League Pass](https://www.nba.com/watch/league-pass-stream?cid=nba:ilp:partner:affiliate:othaff:display:eg:acq:sub:t-gpm:Generic:global:u-en) allows basketball fans to stream games for every team in the league. With so many intriguing storylines around the league, there will be games worth watching every night. The road back to the NBA Finals will be full of challengers, including the Bucks, Heat, Nets and 76ers. The Clippers, Grizzlies, Nuggets and Suns are among the contenders looking to take down Golden State. 10 p.m. 9 p.m. 8 p.m. 7 p.m.

The 2022-23 NBA season tips off & last year's finalists Boston Celtics & Golden State Warriors are leading NBA title contenders again along with the LA ...

“FanDuel TV was designed for viewers to watch and wager and Run it Back will bring a 360° view of the NBA including wagering trends to our audience,” said FanDuel’s Chief Commercial Officer Mike Raffensperger. Curry earns the highest figure playing basketball and on the court this season at $48.1 million. 18 nightcap, and the Warriors are leading contenders again and co-favorites to win the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Forbes list of The defending champion Golden State Warriors battle the Los Angeles Lakers in the Oct. The Celtics are a leading favorite to return to the NBA finals for the second straight season, but a slight second choice behind the Eastern Conference favorite Milwaukee Bucks.

The Warriors received their 2022 NBA championship rings on Tuesday night and they certainly did not disappoint.

Additional features on the sides of the ring include seven Championship trophies to represent the franchise’s seven NBA Championships, the team’s “Just Us” mantra, and more." "The rings feature approximately 16 carats of yellow and white diamonds set into yellow gold to represent the team’s 16 wins during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, marking the first time a Championship ring has been made up primarily of yellow diamonds," the Warriors wrote in a statement. "Seven carats of yellow cushion cut diamonds on the bezel represent the team’s seven championships, while 43 baguettes in the bridge represent Stephen Curry’s 43-point performance in Game 4 of the NBA Finals."

Jayson Tatum has confidence-booster game, James Harden shows lethal touch and 76ers' new faces have rough debuts.

None of the three were major factors in the loss to the Celtics. A fair number of players who played at the same level of Griffin wouldn’t stick around for this. They’ll need to be at their best when the Sixers are matched against the East powers. It’s an inconvenience at best, and a big loss at worst, for Boston as the Celtics make do until then. But Horford is 36 and the Celtics are rather thin at the power positions. It made for an interesting test case against Embiid, who led the league in scoring last season and, for the second time, was runner-up in the Kia MVP voting. He reset over the summer, reduced weight, signed a team-friendly contract extension that allowed the Sixers to add other players and came to camp feeling determined. Also, he was guarded Tuesday by Marcus Smart, the reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year. He arrived in midseason from Brooklyn and the initial expectations were just too steep and maybe unrealistic. By the way, Brown and Tatum have each had 30-plus points in the same regular season game 13 times in their careers together. Tatum had some terrific transitional moments against Philly where he made defensive stops and followed up with jumpers and layups, especially in the game-changing third quarter when the balance flipped to Boston. Last we saw Tatum, he was tossing bricks in the 2022 NBA Finals and coming up short in performance and energy against the Warriors.

The Warriors open their NBA title defense Tuesday against the Lakers, but first, there's a celebration: Golden State players will receive their championship ...

They, of course, did not win the title the previous season, but that game had a similar “ring night” feel to it.) The third point guard is normally a floor-general type and contrast to the scoring guards ahead of him. Still, NBA players are creatures of habit, and a prolonged ceremony before a regular-season game the team badly wants to win also represents a sharp break from that routine. Sometimes, I have to remember to score the ball.” The Warriors also dumped one of their two-ways and snatched up Ty Jerome on their quest for a point guard. A questioned, motivated Green is typically a great Green for the Warriors. The motivation for him to have a super charged, high impact regular season and playoffs is obvious. Jordan Poole is moving back to the bench with Klay Thompson in the lineup, but doesn’t need to obsess over how his minute and point totals will impact his market. Juan Toscano-Anderson, who knows the Warriors as well as anyone outside of the organization, said the key to defeating his former team is disrupting their offensive flow and taking away their preferred reads. The Lakers are going to have to scrap their base schemes and adjust to Golden State’s defense-bending shooting. Locking up Davis to start the year would be the kind of opening statement Green wants to start his Defensive Player of the Year campaign. Ham said he plans on sticking with one lineup for a while, and not changing his starters game to game, so this is a grouping that the Lakers will likely try for at least a few games until re-evaluating.

No player goes 1-on-1 more than Luka Doncic. There are plenty of impressive reasons why.

"When he plays, the only thing he hears is like the music that's playing in his head," Shammgod says. "And all of a sudden he finds a way to spin out and somehow shoots left-handed over his head -- and he makes those shots." During timeouts, Doncic will sometimes juggle the basketball with his foot, a flashback to his childhood playing soccer in Slovenia. "If you use the contact correctly, it's a big advantage, for sure." He often initiates contact, off the dribble or as he's going up to finish, using his strength to create pockets of space. "It's a fadeaway, so it's tough to block, tough to defend. The one-legged fadeaway has become such a respected part of Doncic's repertoire that he occasionally embarrasses defenders determined to contest it. It's a move that Doncic mastered between his rookie and sophomore seasons, essentially adding a midrange escape clause to his isolation game. "You want to have it where every dribbling move he does is a part of that [step-back] package, because that's his favorite shot," Shammgod says. "That's part of the fabric of who he is, because it can set up so many other things." "Sometimes as a coach you want to run all these plays," says Kidd, who has frequently surrounded Doncic with 3-point threats, employing five-out offenses to open the floor for him to operate. In these moments, the court feels like a canvas for Doncic, who Mavs coach Jason Kidd compared to a young Picasso at the start of last season.

The RotoWire NBA crew offers their favorite bets for opening night. Will Joel Embiid dominate the glass against a shorthanded Boston frontcourt?

[Jordan Poole](https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/player/jordan-poole-4791) 25+ points, 4+ rebounds and 4+ assists (+1000) [Al Horford](https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/player/al-horford-2816) and [Luke Kornet](https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/player/luke-kornet-4151) are not slowing down Embiid inside. [Tyrese Maxey](https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/player/tyrese-maxey-5158) is one of the first names that comes to my mind. [Robert Williams](https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/player/robert-williams-4382), and Harden hoists enough threes that he should comfortably sink two or more. [Jayson Tatum](https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/player/jayson-tatum-4108) 20+ points, Embiid 10+ rebounds, Harden 2+ threes parlay (+260) [NBA Picks](/betting/nba/picks/) series.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, a basketball fan in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey took his seat for a preseason NBA game in a sold-out arena.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, a basketball fan in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey took his seat for a preseason NBA game in a sold-out arena. Scores of people packed in to watch a pair of preseason games between the Washington Wizards — featuring Rui Hachimura, one of two Japanese players in the league — and the reigning champion Golden State Warriors. This year’s NBA Japan Games were a marketing executive’s dream, mobilizing fans and wallets and further marrying the league’s brand with the sport’s growing popularity internationally.