Houston Rockets Owner Leslie Alexander announced Monday that the team will wear specially designed Lunar New Year uniforms to celebrate the Chinese New Year with its largest international fan base. The team will wear the uniforms on three occasions.

休斯頓火箭隊（Houston Rockets）老板萊利斯?亞歷山大（Leslie Alexander ）1月26日宣布，火箭隊將身著春節特制款球衣與其最大的國際粉絲團共同慶祝中國農歷新年。火箭隊將穿著這款球衣參加三場比賽。

“The Lunar New Year uniforms represent a great opportunity to honor our incredibly loyal and passionate fans throughout China,” said Leslie Alexander. “From the time the Rockets participated in the first live NBA television broadcast in China on June 8, 1994, to my selecting Shanghai’s native son Yao Ming with the first overall selection of the 2002 NBA Draft, to our participation in the first NBA China Games in 2004, the Rockets have always enjoyed a very special bond with our fans across the region. We are thrilled and humbled to establish the Lunar New Year uniforms as a way to honor the culture, heritage and historical and future connection we’ll always enjoy with our Chinese fans.”

萊利斯?亞歷山大表示，“這款春節特制球衣使我們得以向非常忠誠、熱情的中國粉絲致敬。從1994年6月8日火箭隊參加NBA在中國的首次電視直播，到我在2002年的NBA選秀大會上用狀元簽選中土生土長的上海人姚明，再到我們2004年參加首屆NBA中國賽，火箭隊一直與中國的粉絲們有著特殊的感情羈絆。通過春節特制球衣的方式向中國的文化、遺產以及火箭隊過去和以后與中國粉絲間的聯系表示敬意，我們既興奮又謙卑。”

“It brings great joy to me to see the Houston Rockets honor one of my country’s most important traditions,” commented Rockets legend Yao Ming, “Mr. Alexander and the Rockets have long embraced our culture and customs and made basketball fans in China a part of the Rockets community. I’m excited to ring in the Year of the Goat watching the Rockets wear the Lunar New Year uniforms.”

火箭隊傳奇球星姚明說道，“火箭隊以這種方式來紀念我們國家最重要的傳統節日之一，我非常高興。亞歷山大先生和火箭隊一直很愿意接納中國的文化和風俗，并將中國的籃球迷視作火箭隊大家庭的一部分。能看到火箭隊穿著春節特別款球衣喜迎羊年，我很激動。”

The Rockets Lunar New Year (LNY) jerseys will debut on Sat., Feb 21, vs. Toronto for the Rockets annual Lunar New Year Game, presented by Kenda Tires. Additionally, the LNY jerseys will be worn on Mon., Feb. 23 vs. Minnesota and Wed., Feb. 25 vs. the Los Angeles Clippers, coinciding with the Rockets week-long Lunar New Year Celebration.

火箭隊將在2月21日(周六)跟多倫多猛龍的比賽中首次穿著春節特別球衣亮相，這是火箭隊一年一度的春節特別賽，由建大輪胎（Kenda Tires）承辦。此外火箭隊還將在2月23日(周一)及25日(周三) 對陣明尼蘇達森林狼和洛杉磯快船的比賽中身披這款戰袍。同時，火箭隊還將舉辦為期一周的春節慶祝活動。

Vocabulary

NBA Draft: NBA選秀大會

comment: 發表評論

embrace: 欣然接受

community: 團體

ring in: (鳴鐘)迎來(新年等)

debut: 首次推出

jersey: 運動衣

（譯者：xinxin10，編輯：劉明）