NBA Lakers-Clippers home games resume Monday after weekend games postponed due to wildfires
The NBA announced that home games for both Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers will resume on Monday, after both teams’ games originally scheduled for Saturday were postponed due to the wildfires raging through Southern California.
The Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, while the Clippers will host the Miami Heat at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, just south of the Palisades fire.
The Clippers said at Sunday’s practice that the league has given the green light for Monday’s game. The Spurs said they were told Monday’s game with the Lakers would go ahead as scheduled.
Saturday’s games in Southern California, where the Lakers were originally scheduled to host the Spurs in the first of two back-to-back games between the two teams, and the Clippers’ home game against the Charlotte Hornets, were postponed in response to fires. The Lakers also had a game that was previously scheduled for Thursday against the Hornets postponed.
NBA POSTPONED LAKERS-SPURS, CLIPPERS-HORNETS GAMES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DUE TO FIRE ON SATURDAY
Los Angeles Lakers NBA coach JJ Redick, right, hugs guard Austin Reaves, left, before speaking to the media about the Pacific Palisades wildfire during a press conference in El Segundo, Calif., Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP)
“I pray this nightmare ends soon!” Lakers forward LeBron James wrote on social media platform X on Saturday.
The Spurs had to change hotels due to a fire after arriving in Los Angeles, while the Heat arrived Saturday night as scheduled.
The Lakers and Clippers are also scheduled to host games on Wednesday, with the Lakers playing the Heat and the Clippers playing the Brooklyn Nets.
“When people lose their homes, kids lose schools, lose lives, it’s very hard to approach basketball because life is bigger than basketball,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. “Hopefully we can bring some sort of joy with the game coming back tomorrow and a bit of togetherness and try to put a bit of a smile on people’s faces in tough times.”
LEBRON JAMES SENDS ‘SO MANY PRAYERS’ AS LOS ANGELES FIRES CONTINUE
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Clippers guard Terance Mann plans to scour the storage area he keeps for useful items to donate.
“I just want to give a lot of clothes, some money, shoes, whatever I can,” he said. “I’m going to go help people, donate and drive around and do whatever I can to help.”
Some members of the Clippers organization were forced to evacuate their homes during the fire. The team was on the road when the fires started, and forward Kawhi Leonard left the team in Denver to help his family in Pacific Palisades evacuate.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said his family home is for rent in Pacific Palisades burned on Tuesday nightdestroying most of his belongings.
“I wasn’t prepared for what I saw,” Redick said Friday. “It’s complete devastation and devastation. I had to take another route home, but I went through most of the village, and everything was gone. I don’t think you can ever prepare for something like that. Our home is gone.”
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick shared that he and his family lost their home in the deadly Pacific Palisades wildfire during an NBA basketball news conference at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP)
The Lakers have announced a fundraiser for their upcoming games starting Monday. The team invited fans to bring new packaging items to support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s relief efforts.
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The UCLA Team Training Health Center in El Segundo starting Tuesday will be used as a drive-thru donation center, with basic non-food items listed as priorities, but packaged food items are also welcome.
The NBA and the National Basketball Association, which is the players’ union, announced a $1 million donation Friday for immediate relief to the American Red Cross, the World Kitchen Central and other organizations working on relief and recovery efforts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
