China is a very big market for the NBA and the league is widely popular in the country. The NBA has played preseason games in China in the past and despite the relationship taking a bit of a hit after Daryl Morey’s comments a couple of years back, things have seemingly settled down now.
The Golden State Warriors, thanks to all their recent success, are one of the more popular teams in China and have a huge fanbase over there. Curry is unquestionably the most beloved player and his ‘night night’ celebration seems to be to catching on with the fanbase quite quickly:
Great photo from a watch party of Chinese Warriors fans!
Shared by u/lovesteph4ever (Hupu: @库里666668) pic.twitter.com/QDmLroUPji
— r/Warriors 🏆 (@GSWReddit) May 21, 2022
“Great photo from a watch party of Chinese Warriors fans! Shared by u/lovesteph4ever (Hupu: @库里666668)”
We have seen Curry pull out the celebration multiple times in these playoffs as the Warriors have brushed aside the Denver Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies. They seem to be on course to dispatch the Dallas Mavericks in a hurry too, and Curry put the Mavs to sleep in Game 2 as well, with Dorian Finney Smith admitting that he was annoyed by the celebration.
The rest of the league better figure out a way to stop the Warriors if they want Curry to stop gloating, and it doesn’t look like the Mavs will be the ones to do it. Game 2 was their best chance to make a series out of this, but they failed to close it out and ended up losing. It no doubt thrilled the Chinese fans who had gathered in 18 cities to watch the game:
DubNation fans gathered to watch G2
in 18 cities of China.pic.twitter.com/0h1mJvonc5
— YuCurry (@xiaoyeyu) May 22, 2022
“DubNation fans gathered to watch G2 in 18 cities of China.”
It must have been a great experience for them to witness the Warriors overturn the third-largest deficit in their playoff history as they stormed back from a 19-point hole to win 126-117. Another win followed in Game 3 and the rest of the series is a formality at this point.
Golden State is now just one win away from a return to the NBA Finals for the first time since they lost to the Raptors in 2019 and the way they are playing, another championship does look to be on the cards.
