The NBA will resume home games for the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers on Monday after the games originally scheduled for Saturday were postponed due to wildfires ravaging Southern California. Announced.
On Monday, the Lakers will play the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, while the Clippers will play the Miami Heat at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, south of the Palisades Fire.
The Clippers announced during Sunday's practice that the league had given them the green light for Monday's game. The Spurs said they were told Monday's matchup with the Lakers would proceed as scheduled.
Saturday's games in Southern California, originally scheduled for the Lakers to play the first of a back-to-back series against the Spurs and the Clippers at home against the Charlotte Hornets, were postponed in response to the fires. The Lakers' game against the Hornets scheduled for Thursday was also postponed.
NBA postpones Saturday's Lakers-Spurs, Clippers-Hornets games in Southern California due to wildfires
NBA basketball head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, hugs guard Austin Reeves, left, before speaking to the media about the Pacific Palisades wildfires during a press conference on Friday, January 10, 2025, in El Segundo, California. JJ Reddick (right). (AP)
“I hope this nightmare ends soon!” Lakers star forward LeBron James wrote on social media platform X on Saturday.
The Spurs had to change hotels after arriving in Los Angeles due to fire concerns, but the Heat arrived on schedule Saturday night.
Both the Lakers and Clippers are scheduled to host games on Wednesday, with the Lakers taking on the Heat and the Clippers taking on the Brooklyn Nets.
“It's very hard to work on the game of basketball when people are losing their homes, kids losing their schools, losing their lives, because life is bigger than basketball,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. he told reporters. “We hope that the return to games tomorrow can bring some joy and togetherness and put a smile on people's faces during these difficult times.”
LeBron James sends 'many prayers' as Los Angeles wildfires continue
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, January 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin Onshia)
Clippers guard Terrence Mann plans to search his storage room for useful items that he plans to donate.
“I just want to give as much as I can, lots of clothes, money, shoes,” he said. “I’m going to go help people, donate, drive around and do what 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 fire broke out, and star forward Kawhi Leonard left the team in Denver to help evacuate his family in Pacific Palisades.
Lakers coach JJ Reddick said his family's rental home in Pacific Palisades caught fire Tuesday night, destroying most of their belongings.
“I wasn't prepared for what I saw,” Reddick said Friday. “Complete devastation and destruction. I had to take a different road to get to my house, but I went through a large part of the village, and everything was gone. Be prepared for something like that. I don't think it's ever possible. Our home is gone.”
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick speaks during an NBA basketball press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center on Friday, January 10, 2025 in El Segundo, California during the deadly Pacific Palisades wildfire. He talked about how he and his family lost their home. (AP)
The Lakers announced a donation drive for upcoming games starting Monday. The team is asking fans to bring new items included in the package to support the Los Angeles Area Food Bank's relief efforts.
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The team's UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo will be used as a drive-through donation center starting Tuesday, with non-food necessities being a priority, although packaged groceries are also welcome.
The NBA and its players' association, the National Basketball Players Association, announced Friday a $1 million donation in immediate relief to organizations working on victim support and recovery efforts, including the American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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