NBA games are set to resume in wildfire-affected Los Angeles on Monday night, as the Clippers prepare to host the Miami Heat, while the Lakers are set to face off against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
During practice on Sunday, the Clippers confirmed that the NBA had authorized the game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, located south of the ongoing Palisades fire. The Spurs received notification that, barring any changes, they would also compete against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
Lakers star LeBron James expressed his concerns on social media, stating, “I pray this nightmare ends soon!”
This matchup marks the Clippers’ first game in five days after their home game against Charlotte was postponed due to the devastating wildfires. The Lakers also faced delays, with two home games rescheduled: one against the Hornets on Thursday and another against the Spurs on Saturday.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged the gravity of the situation, saying, “When people are losing their homes, kids are losing schools, losing lives, it’s very difficult to approach the game of basketball because life is bigger than basketball. Hopefully, we can bring some kind of joy with the game coming back tomorrow and some togetherness to try to put some smiles on people’s faces in tough times.”
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Rather than resting before the game, Clippers player Terance Mann decided to leave practice to gather useful items from a storage unit he maintains.
“I just want to give a lot of clothes, some money, shoes, whatever I can,” he shared. “I’m going to help people out and donate, driving around to do what I can to assist.”
In a show of solidarity, the Lakers announced a donation drive for their upcoming games, starting Monday, encouraging fans to bring new, packaged items to support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s relief efforts.
The Lakers’ UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo will serve as a drive-thru donation center starting Tuesday. The team emphasized the need for non-food items such as deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, lotion, waterless shampoo, battery-pack phone chargers, socks, mittens, gloves, hand warmers, beanies, and blankets.
For food contributions, the Lakers are welcoming donations of peanut butter, protein-based snacks, crackers, trail mix, fruit snacks, energy bars, canned tuna, canned chicken, juice boxes, raisins, dried fruit, UHT milk, individual cereal boxes, water, and non-carbonated beverages.
The Spurs had to switch hotels due to fire safety concerns upon their arrival in Los Angeles, while the Heat arrived on Saturday night as planned after their game in Portland.
Spurs forward Harrison Barnes expressed hope for community unity, stating, “Obviously, we just want to see the community come back together.”
Since the fires began on Tuesday, many have been glued to their phones and the news, following updates on the multiple fires raging across Los Angeles County.
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The Clippers were on the road when the fires ignited. Kawhi Leonard returned to his family in Pacific Palisades, an area significantly impacted by the fires.
Mann remarked, “It was good to see that him and his family are doing well.”
Several Clippers staff members had to evacuate their homes, and some are aware of individuals who lost theirs. Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed that the house he and his family are renting this season was completely destroyed in the fires.
“People are still barely getting sleep,” Mann noted. “Some guys lost power, some have family matters to sort out, and some kids’ schools burned down. There’s a lot happening. It’s much bigger than basketball.”
In Denver, Nicolas Batum checked his phone at halftime—something he typically avoids—to monitor the fire situation. Upon returning to LA, he hurried to pack boxes, fearing his family might need to evacuate.
Now, the Clippers are looking forward to returning to the court and providing their fans with a brief escape from the ongoing turmoil.
Batum stated, “We’ve been through a lot in the last five days. I think people need this distraction for two or three hours.”
Both the Clippers and Lakers have additional home games scheduled for Wednesday, with the Clippers facing the Brooklyn Nets and the Lakers hosting the Miami Heat. ESPN had initially planned to broadcast the Lakers-Heat game but switched it to feature the Golden State Warriors visiting the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.
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