NBA Doesn't Condone Rockets Staffer Stopping Reporter's China Question

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The NBA said it does not approve of a Rockets staffer stopping a reporter's question about China in a post-game press conference on Thursday.

Following the Rockets-Raptors preseason game in Tokyo, CNN reporter Christina Macfarlane asked James Harden and Russell Westbrook if they'd "feel differently about speaking out" after the recent events in China. A member of the Rockets media relations team told Macfarlane that questions had to stick to basketball. Macfarlane said it's a "legitimate question" about the NBA that had yet to be answered but was cut off anyway.

"A team representative inappropriately interjected to prevent CNN's Christina Macfarlane from receiving an answer to her question," the NBA said in a statement. "We've apologized to Ms. Macfarlane as this was inconsistent with how the NBA conducts media events."

The controversy surrounding China and the NBA started when Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted in support of Hong Kong supporters. A pair of NBA Cares events were later canceled this week as part of the fallout from his tweet.

The Lakers and Nets played their preseason game in Shanghai on Thursday, but post-game press conferences with players and NBA commissioner Adam Silver were canceled.

Silver supported Morey while speaking in Tokyo on Tuesday.

"I think as a values-based organization that I want to make it clear...that Daryl Morey is supported in terms of his ability to exercise his freedom of expression," he said.