The scheduled game between the Lakers and Clippers at the Staples Center on Tuesday has been postponed as the Los Angeles community continues to mourn the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, according to an NBA press release (hat tip to The Athletic’s Blake Murphy).
The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers organization, which has been devastated by the loss of Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday. The game will be rescheduled at a later date.
While the NBA did not postpone any games on Sunday and Monday in the aftermath of the news, the decision to move the Lakers-Clippers game to a later date didn’t come as a surprise. As a source told The Athletic’s Shams Charania, “These guys are not ready to play basketball right now.”
There had been ongoing discussions between the league and the Lakers since the tragedy and it was ultimately decided that an organization that spent the day meeting with grief counselors wasn’t ready to put on an NBA game, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets.
The Lakers’ next game is a home date against the Trail Blazers on Friday.
That’s the right call.
Common sense finally applied. Having games last night was a mistake IMO
How so?? It was way too late for the NBA to suddenly cancel games. A lot more goes into it than you think, obviously.
Believe me, I know what goes in to this. I’m in the TV business. It wasn’t way too late. News came out about this in plenty of time. IMO of course. Any player interviewed last night admitted they didn’t want to play.
TMZ news, yes.
You can’t just send fans, some of whom may have traveled a hundred miles, home when they show up for a game because it has been “canceled”. That is more than obvious.
But … he’s in the “TV business”.
TMZ news has been more accurate over the years than you realize. And , yes, I’m in the TV business. So I know how much pre planning goes into every professional sports broadcast. When a massive event like this occurs, important decisions are made. Quickly. Even if it’s at the expense of the fans having to turn around and go home. Ever hear of a rain out in baseball? It happens all the time. Players are already at the venue as are some fans. Games get called and credits are issued. Zero difference here.
Big difference Matty. Your wrong and alone on this one.
A retired player dying, albeit tragically, does not warrant the league cancelling all games. If it had been someone that didn’t play for the Lakers no one would be suggesting this.
If you’re in the business, then perhaps you should take some time to understand it. Sporting events are cancelled, when they are, by teams and/or league officials (not TV networks). Did someone you get coffee for tell you that they were the ones that called a baseball game for rain?
FYI, when games are canceled it’s done under a proscribed set of rules, which revolve around venue security/ condition/ safety and the interest of the fans. Not in tribute to someone, and certainly not – oh well, the players don’t feel like playing – forget those silly fans who we sold tickets to. The LA teams made a rational decision based on their fan bases. No other team had a single reason to consider it based on theirs.
Your arguments are irrelevant. You did not consume the concept of what I laid out. I was involved in the nyc arena when 9-11 occurred. All I’m trying to convey, is that when a momentous event occurs with an iconic person or venue is convey, people of decision making should be considerate of the masses. Not the few. The NBA should have been more sensitive than it was.
Well 9/11 is pretty different Matty. I don’t think the NBA playing games is callous in response. When a game is rained out it’s a safety issue. They seemed to handle this with respect and all of the games played included homages paid to Kobe so it’s not like it was tone deaf or insensitive.
your feelings on this are quite silly and immature, matty kid.
I’m sure you can strike the set but that is the easy part.
To start with, speculation is not accuracy (TMZ) and baseball is not basketball. Also police are generally slow to declare things.
But these are not the points. Nobody wants cancelled games and the LA homer crew did get their game called off.
So there.
And then the unplanned side effects: Resentment from having to like or elevate Kobe, etc. His name comes up on HR & comments vary widely. Now is not the time to review the negative.
Matty implies the masses wanted or wants a reschedule. That is what should be proven because it sounds sooo wrong or at least it’s not clear-cut. There will probably be polls but they will include people who have or had no stake in the first place.
Longer response than Matty warranted.
He provided no compelling reason to cancel the games beyond generic sensitivity. That’s the takeaway, there was no compelling reason and that should be the end of the argument.
Are you seriously comparing 9/11 to this? If you were truly in the ‘nyc arena’ during 9/11, then you’d know that almost everything shut down and literally no one wanted to do anything for nearly a week. But, perhaps more importantly, they were still sifting through rubble and you’d have been hard-pressed to find enough fans who even felt safe leaving their houses, much less attending a large-scale sporting event at a landmark.
(also, the NBA and NHL hadn’t started their seasons yet, so I’m not sure what ‘arena’ you’re referring to; NFL and MLB postponed games)
“The masses?” The games I watched on TV Sunday afternoon seemed to play in front of full houses. While I’m sure many of them were devastated by Kobe’s death, none of them seemed offended that the game they bought tickets to see what being played. If they were, they would’ve stayed home.
In baseball, rainouts are part of the deal (and I’ve seen lots of games played in terrible conditions “just to get the game in.” ) But in the NBA, there is no normal expectation that a game will suddenly, on a few minutes’ notice, be cancelled when people have already arrived or are in transit. Most of the players interviewed that day seemed to understand they had a duty to play, despite their grief.
If the Lakers had had a game on Sunday, I think cancelling it would’ve been the right thing. Kobe was family. But beyond that, no.
Lakers will also want to take time to pay proper respect to both the tragedy and the legacy.
Play the game. This is ridiculous. If he was a current player I’d understand.
You just don’t understand. If you lived in the L.A. area or were a Lakers fan, you would. This city is in mourning. People are still gathering at several locations relevant to the Lakers, Bryant, and the others who perished in the crash.
Even if you really disliked Bryant for whatever reason, please try to have some compassion.
People in L.A. swear the country revolves around them. If you are sad for your hometown guy you have every right to be. But don’t expect the world to stand still with you.
Nobodies expecting the world to stand with us we are saying that the city of Los Angeles is not ready to host a game Tuesday night after losing Our biggest sports icon in the last quarter century-
Ok I understand that. I thought he was speaking about the broad spectrum of league wide games being postponed becauseof the tragedy. If 2 L.A. teams dont want play becauseof mourning Kobe I def understand that.
It’s the right call for LA not play this game, like it’s the right call let the other game be played.
Easy.
I don’t mourn for the adults. I mourn for the three children who are victims of their parents ignorance and stupidity for putting their children into a dangerous situation and showing off by letting them ride in a 13 million dollar helicopter.
This makes you sound ignorant, honestly. So no one should ever ride in a helicopter? I’ve heard multiple people say that they don’t feel bad for a millionaire dying in a helicopter crash. That has to be the dumbest reasoning for anything. Do you realize that a human being still lost his life? A wife lost her husband, kids lost their father? It has nothing to do with them “showing off”. They could have just as easily gotten in a car accident. Some people have no compassion because of their own personal jealousy. Get a grip and come back to reality, hater.
Helicopters are NOT ideally used for casual or commuting reasons. They are dangerous, noisy and fuel-chugging. The evidence for danger is clear right now. I think there should be greater restrictions on private air vehicles.
It’s not a matter of feeling good or bad about someone. If you’re referring to my earlier comment then you didn’t get the factual content or the clear subject of error (West).
You just ripped a guy because he mentioned he worked in TV. Now, you are professing to know about helicopters. He knows more about TV than you do about Helicopters, Pugslie! Dangerous, noisy & fuel-chugging sounds like your car to me. What you seem to see in the eyes of others is what you’re seeing in yourself. Let go of the Hate Bro. Take a Gummy Bear……
If you don’t think helicopters are noisy you’re fooling yourself. It doesn’t take a TV technician to measure this. They’re a last resort transport tool, good for wars, forest fires and hospitals.
Paladin thinks he is free of hate and I am “Pugslie”.
Ok Pugslie We all know your opinion is the only correct one here….It’s okay for you to chastise people but when you get it back, your butt starts hurting…Too bad!
Helicopters being noisy and fuel-chugging are simple facts, dude. And there’s plenty of data to suggest that they’re dangerous.
So are automobiles Bozo!
good morning Joey roca . & thank you for your honesty in how you feel . may God Bless you on this day and all days to follow
I’ve spent the last couple of days feeling pretty rough. Some of these comments are painful and surprising to see. I’m the furthest thing from a Lakers fan…to be honest, I think I should just leave it at that b/c everytime I think to add more, I end up in this all encompassing situation trying to describe things, and it’s just not something I have energy for
I partly felt like maybe cancelling games would be a way to go, and wondered how some guys would be able to do their jobs, but I think Kobe would have wanted guys to play. This is a bit of a different situation, and it’s totally understandable to move the game to another time, although maybe the chance for their city to be together at this time may have helped in some ways…either way, it’s their decision to make
Good call NBA!