Basketball: Toronto-New Orleans and LA Clippers-LA Lakers kick-off 2019-20 NBA season on 22/10/2019

The 2018-19 NBA champion Toronto Raptors host the New Orleans Pelicans at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada for the 2019-20 NBA season launch on Tuesday, 22/10/2019 at 20:00 local time (02:00 CET). The Los Angeles (California, USA) rivalry, LA Clippers - LA Lakers, is the second scheduled game of the evening, at the Staples Center (Los Angeles) at 19:30 local time (04:30 pm CET).

Jordan Brand (Nike, equipment manufacturer), Panini (collectibles), 2K Sports (video games), Gatorade (energy drinks) and Mountain Dew (sodas) have already partnered with the rookie (first season player) Zion Williamson (USA, born 06/07/2000), the first pick of the 2019 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans (Williamson is injured and unlikely to feature in the opening game).

During the 2019-20 pre-season games, Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets, supported, via a tweet, the independence demonstrations Hong Kong on 05/10/2019. The resulting suspension of Chinese sponsors' commitments could cause $25m in losses to the NBA and specifically the Houston Rockets franchise over the…