Primed for ticket fan-demonium

It's still three months until the new NBA season tips off, but fans in China are rolling up their sleeves to fight for a sneak peek as ticket sales for October's NBA China Games open at 2 pm on Monday.

Presented by Vivo, the league's official smartphone partner in China, the preseason matchups in China will feature the Dallas Mavericks and the Philadelphia 76ers meeting at 7pm on Oct 5 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, followed by a rematch three nights later at Shenzhen's Universiade Center.

Both franchises will be playing in China for the first time.

NBA China has partnered with promoter iRena Group to provide fans with convenient ways to purchase tickets through official ticketing partners Wesai, Damai, Yongle and the NBA online store in China.

The NBA China Games will feature a variety of fan activities, including the seventh annual NBA Fan Day on Oct 4 in Shanghai, which will provide thousands of fans with the opportunity to participate in on-court games and watch the Mavs and 76ers conduct basketball activities and skills competitions.

The league and its partners will also conduct a series of NBA Cares community outreach events in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Along with Chinese forward Ding Yanyuhang, the Mavericks' current roster features 13-time NBA All-Star and 2011 NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, 2015 NBA champion Harrison Barnes, standout rookie Dennis Smith Jr and 2018 No 3 overall draft pick Luka Doncic.

"When I played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I witnessed China's enthusiasm for basketball firsthand," said Nowitzki. "It will be a fantastic experience for our franchise to play over there for the first time. We're also excited about the possibility of reconnecting with two great Chinese players who played for Dallas, Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian."

The 76ers' roster features 2018 All-Star center Joel Embiid, 2018 NBA rookie of the year Ben Simmons, 2017 No 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz and Croatian forward Dario Saric.

Simmons, who visited China in June to participate in a series of youth clinics, said he can't wait to return for a more serious business.

"Getting a chance to play all over the world has always been a dream of mine and I'm excited to play in China in October," he said. "I know the fans there are passionate about basketball and I'm really looking forward to visiting and playing in Shanghai and Shenzhen."

Since the NBA's inaugural China Games in 2004 featuring the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings, the league has hosted 26 games in China, including this year's exhibitions.