Suns, Nuggets To Play In Outdoor Preseason Game At Indian Wells
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Indian Wells To Host Outdoor
Suns Preseason Game In October |
The Suns yesterday formally announced they will host a preseason game against the Nuggets on October 11 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden that will be televised by TNT. The 16,000-seat Garden is an NBA-style arena with no roof and annually plays host to the Pacific Life Open. Tickets to the game will cost $10-100 and will go on sale Saturday morning (Suns). USA TODAY reports the game will be the first outdoor NBA game since a Suns-Bucks preseason game in Puerto Rico in '72. Suns President & COO Rick Welts: "What will happen here will be historic. More important, I think this will be a lot of fun. Most of us learned how to play basketball outdoors. This had the perfect circumstances to do it in the NBA." Welts added that the "ideal weather in October and the facility made it possible to hold the event." The announcement comes on the heels of the Penguins-Sabres game at Ralph Wilson Stadium on January 1 (USA TODAY, 2/20). In Denver, Chris Tomasson reported the Suns originally wanted to hold the game at the USTA Tennis Center in N.Y., but the team "figured the weather would be too risky.'' The game will be played at night, but tipoff time has not been announced (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 2/20).
REAX: In Denver, Chris Dempsey writes Nuggets coach George Karl "didn't appear too excited" about the game. Karl: "I don't think it's a bad idea. Just as long as the court is safe." Nuggets C Marcus Camby: "I don't think I've played outdoor basketball since high school. I've seen hockey do it, a couple times in the last couple years. ... But an outdoor basketball game would definitely be different" (DENVER POST, 2/20). ESPN’s Tim Legler said, "I have a little bit of a problem with it from this standpoint. In hockey, you’re talking about the same playing surface. This is an entirely different surface that you’re going to see guys playing on. ... I don’t think you’re going to see guys really going at it the way you would in a normal pre-season game with guys trying to make team. I’m worried about somebody getting hurt” (“NBA Coast-to-Coast,” ESPN2, 2/19).
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