The Names Of The Western Conferences Of NBA             

      Several weeks ago, we had discussed the meaning of the team names in the National Basketball Association's Eastern Conference. This time we move on to the Western Conference.             

      The Minnesota Timberwolves(明尼苏达森林狼):the Timberwolves' name actually makes sense. Minnesota, which is located on the border with Canada, contains large expanses of forested wilderness where timberwolves make their home.             

      The SanAntonio Spurs(圣安东尼奥马刺): The mythology(传说、的神话) of the "cowboy", solitary, tough and self-reliant, has long been an important part of the American national identity, particularly in Texas, where San Antonio is located. Spurs are sharp metal devices attached to a cowboy's boots. By jabbing a horse's flanks with the spurs, the cowboy can encourage his mount(座骑) to run faster.             

      The Dallas Mavericks(达拉斯小牛): The name of the Dallas team also reflects Texas' cowboy past. A "maverick" is a rebellious(叛逆性强的) person who refuses to obey social norms(标准). The word is derived from the name of Samuel Maverick (1803-1870), a Texas rancher(农场主)who refused to brand(为小牛烙印标识)his cattle.             

      The Houston Rockets(休斯顿火箭): The NASA(美国国家航空航天局) Mission Control Center is located in Houston; hence the name "Rockets". Ironically, no actual rockets are ever launched into space from Houston -- launches take place at a separate facility in Florida.             

      The Utah Jazz(犹他爵士): Jazz is a uniquely American musical style invented by African-Americans in the South. Utah is a deeply conservative Rocky Mountain state with few African-Americans and no connection to jazz music. The reason for the name is that the team started in New Orleans, one of the birthplaces of jazz, and subsequently moved to Utah.             

      The LosAngeles Lakers(洛杉矶湖人): A look at a map of the Los Angeles area shows that there are virtually no lakes in the metropolitan(大都市) area. Why then the name "Lakers"? The name only makes sense if you know where the team was originally located -- Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" thanks to the abundance of small lakes within its boundaries. Minnesota is also on the world's largest freshwater lake, Lake Superior.             

      The Seattle Supersonics(西雅图超音速): As a result of its association with Boeing(波音飞机), Seattle has long been a center of the airplane manufacturing industry. Although Boeing recently moved its corporate headquarters from Seattle to Chicago, it maintains a large manufacturing presence in Washington State. The Boeing 747 and other jetliners are built in Seattle. The name "Supersonics" honors Seattle's contribution to the jet age.