Sports
Lakers-Clippers Game Tuesday Postponed After Death Of Kobe Bryant
The NBA has announced the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers set for Tuesday night has been postponed.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The NBA on Monday postponed a game scheduled for Tuesday between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, saying the Lakers are still grieving the deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash Sunday.
The league announced the news in a statement released on social media.
The following has been released by the NBA pic.twitter.com/NgrEP2qpDi
— NBA (@NBA) January 27, 2020
"The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers organization, which is deeply grieving the tragic loss of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday," the NBA said in its statement.
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Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported the news. Charania credited a source close to the Lakers and Clippers who said: "These guys are not ready to play basketball right now."
"After tragic death of Kobe Bryant, NBA and the Lakers/Clippers consulted all day, with grief counselors on sight with Lakers organization," sources also told Charania. "Ultimately, the decision was made to postpone Tuesday's game and allow entire Lakers franchise to continue to grieve, mourn, heal."
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The Staples Center, Bryant's home for nearly all of his 20-year career with the Lakers, has already been transformed into a place of mourning. Fans gathered outside the arena in droves Sunday as news spread of Bryant's death; inside the stadium, crews shone spotlights on Bryant's No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys in the rafters as Grammy Awards performers rehearsed onstage.
The game against the Clippers was bound to be a difficult one for the Lakers, who have not played since Bryant's death. The team was reportedly struggling to cope on Sunday, with players including LeBron James reacting with disbelief as the news rippled through the team's plane, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The league said Tuesday's game will be rescheduled for a later date.
The Lakers are set to play next on Friday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers, with tip off scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET.
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