LOS ANGELES, Jan 11 — Two NBA games scheduled for today in the Los Angeles area were postponed due to the wildfires that continue to rage in the region.
The San Antonio Spurs were due to oppose the Lakers in Los Angeles, and the Charlotte Hornets were set to face the Clippers in Inglewood, Calif.
No makeup dates were announced.
The league wrote in a statement, “The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in communication with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the ongoing situation in the Los Angeles area, and the game postponements ensure no resources will be diverted from the wildfire response efforts.
“The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are donating one million dollars for immediate relief to the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen and other organizations to support those affected by this disaster and are working with the Lakers and Clippers on ways to support longer term assistance and rebuilding efforts.”
The four teams issued statements about the situation,
The Clippers added, “The health and safety of our community and our fans remains our highest priority.”
The Lakers wrote, “The Los Angeles community is in our hearts. The Lakers look forward to getting back on the court soon, honoring LA’s first responders and recognizing the heartbreak endured across our beloved community.”
RC Buford, the Spurs’ CEO, said, “We fully support the decision to postpone tomorrow’s Spurs-Lakers game. It’s beyond heartbreaking to see the widespread devastation across the Los Angeles community.”
The Hornets wrote that their “organization sends its thoughts to all those impacted by this tragic situation and a tremendous amount of gratitude to the firefighters and first responders who continue to battle the effects of the devastation.”
Other upcoming events at Intuit Dome in Inglewood — the Miami Heat vs. the Clippers on Monday, the Brooklyn Nets vs. the Clippers on Wednesday, and UFC 311 on Jan 18 — are still due to be held as scheduled.
The Lakers have three home games scheduled for next week: against the Spurs on Monday (in what would have been a second straight meeting between the teams), vs. the Heat on Wednesday and vs. the Nets on Friday.
Two other games slated for Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles were postponed earlier this week: the Calgary Flames vs. the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday and the Hornets vs. the Lakers on Thursday.
Lakers coach JJ Redick was among those who lost their homes to the wildfires this week. — Reuters
