Bringing NBA preseason games to China has been a slam dunk for the popular league, but NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been looking at even greater plans to boost its game here.

With the Charlotte Hornets beating the Los Angeles Clippers 106-94 in a preseason game at the sold-out Shenzhen Universiade Center on Sunday, the North American league has once again shown just how popular it is with wildly enthusiastic fans, increased media exposure and growing sponsorship interest.

However, providing more authentic NBA experiences to Chinese fans over a large geographical area and a huge time difference remain challenges for the NBA as it tries to deepen its roots in its biggest overseas market.