China's first ice rink converted from basketball court appears in Xi'an Olympic Sports Center

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China's first ice rink converted from basketball court appears in Xi'an Olympic Sports Center

2020-10-07 21:25 Last Updated At：21:25

During the "National Day" golden week, China's first ice rink, transformed from a basketball and volleyball court, was unveiled at the Xi'an Olympic Sports Center stadium, which will be one of the main venues for next year's 14th National Games in Shaanxi Province.

The stadium has a total area of more than 107,000 square meters, including 18,000 seats and an ice rink of 1,800 square meters, which is the largest ice rink in northwest China.

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Xi'an Olympic Sports Center

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Xi'an Olympic Sports Center

According to Xia Qiang, head of the construction company at the site, refrigeration pipes were embedded in the design of the gymnasium. The first ice-making took 5 days, watering at -4 degree to make ice, increasing layer by layer, making 1 to 2 millimeters of ice at a time until an ice layer of more than 4 centimeters thick was made.

"When it is necessary to change the venue, the ice quilts, protective boards and mobile wood floors can be quickly laid on the ice surface and converted into basketball or volleyball competition venues again. This innovation ensures the different competitions can be switched quickly in the shortest possible time," Xia Qiang said.

With the approval of The State Council, the 14th National Games will be held in Shaanxi Province from September 5 to September 27, 2021. As the highest-level and largest comprehensive sports meeting in China, the National Games will be held in the vast central and western regions for the first time.

Lauri Markkanen scores 33, rallies the Jazz to a 116-114 win over the Mavericks

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lauri Markkanen had 33 points and seven rebounds and the Utah Jazz snapped a five-game losing streak with a 116-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

Keyonte George added 19 points and seven assists. Brice Sensabaugh scored 14 points and Kevin Love chipped in 10 points and 10 boards.

Cooper Flagg had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists to lead Dallas. Klay Thompson made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points off the bench. Anthony Davis added 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavs.

Utah scored 25 points off 21 Dallas turnovers and outscored the Mavericks 64-46 in the paint.

Dallas scored baskets on four straight possessions, culminating in Max Christie’s 3-pointer, to take a 107-100 lead with 4:39 left. Utah then held the Mavericks without a basket for nearly four minutes and surged into the lead.

Markkanen scored three straight baskets to fuel a 12-0 run that gave the Jazz a 112-107 lead with 1:41 left. Utah scored on seven of its final nine possessions to secure the victory.

Utah’s willingness to attack the rim early paid off. The Jazz scored 24 of their 34 first-quarter points in the paint. It sparked a 22-6 run that helped Utah to a 27-17 lead. Cody Williams fueled the run with three dunks over four possessions.

The Jazz led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, going up 53-39 after Markkanen capped a 15-5 run with a dunk.

Dallas chipped away at the deficit and took a 61-60 lead after Naji Marshall and Christie hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the third quarter.

Mavericks: At Chicago on Saturday.

Jazz: Host Charlotte on Saturday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba