Lakers traveling to China in October for preseason

The Lakers will travel overseas to China in October for a pair of preseason games against the Golden State Warriors.

On Oct. 15, the Pacific Division rivals will play in Beijing at the MasterCard Center. On Oct. 18, they’ll visit Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

“Providing fans with an authentic NBA experience is an important part of our efforts to grow the game globally,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said. “This fall, nearly a third of our teams will embark on a global tour that will celebrate the game of basketball, give our international fans a chance to connect with NBA teams and players, and leave a lasting impact in each of the communities we visit.”

Seven other teams will travel abroad as well, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.

The NBA will visit Turkey, Spain, England, Taiwan, Brazil and the Philippines.

The Lakers last played overseas in London and Spain in 2010.

[UPDATE: “The Lakers are happy to continue to be a part of the NBA’s efforts to expand its global reach,” said Lakers Senior Vice President of Business Operations / Chief Marketing Officer Tim Harris. “Over the last two decades, the Lakers brand has grown tremendously in the international market, especially in China. The support we receive from the fans in China has been essential to that growth and we look forward to the opportunity to play in front our Chinese fans while also taking part in various NBA community initiatives during our stay.”]

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Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.