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SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Today was a good day leading up to the game. Last night was the first decent night of sleep - without waking up early on my own - I've had on this trip. It was also a day highly anticipated by me and the rest of the team. I know for sure I was tense and not relaxed for the first game, but feel much better now. That was the first time I had played in a real game since January and I was most definitely a little rusty.

After shootaround, we had a small camp for some kids from one of the orphanages here in Macau. I enjoyed that because I love kids and the reactions they have to people they look up to.

As part of the lunch buffet today they had pickled octopus and I absolutely had no part of that. The orange soda is off the chain though. I didn't expect that from China.

Some of the guys and I walked around the city and realized that the people in Macau aren't as generous as the people are on the China mainland. I think that might be because it's a city and lot more busy, not to mention they might see Americans like us all the time.

We really needed to get a win tonight, but we came up short (China won 86-78 on Saturday). We really played well in the second half after getting down quickly. We got back to four points with under a minute to go, but then there was kind of a questionable technical foul that allowed China to get to the line, get the ball and put the game away.

I think we began to come together as a team tonight. It's 3:17 a.m. here in Macau as I send this to you guys and we have to leave the hotel at 5 a.m. and get back on a ferry to Hong King at 6. I'm guessing the models from Sweden won't be on this return trip. From Hong Kong it's about 15 hours to (the Los Angeles airport) and then on the Albuquerque.

Can't wait to get back to N.M. Hope to see you guys on Friday at Tingley when we play our first real game against the Austin Toros.

It will be cool to finally play one that counts and to see Coach Coop go against his old NBA rival Dennis Johnson, who coaches at Austin. Thanks for letting me tell you about our trip. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing about it.