Lakers and Clippers Home Games Postponed Amid Wildfire Tragedy

The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers were set to play home games on Saturday night, but the matches were postponed due to the disaster that has affected parts of the city since Tuesday. Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed that he and his family lost their home in the wildfires in Pacific Palisades. The North American basketball league announced that the NBA games involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, scheduled for Saturday night in California’s capital, were postponed as the fires continued to devastate the city.

The Lakers were set to face the San Antonio Spurs, while the Clippers were to take on the Charlotte Hornets. As a result, only three games will take place that day—starting at 7 p.m. (Argentina time)—instead of the six initially scheduled. Amid the disaster caused by the phenomenon, with flames consuming entire neighborhoods and smoke spreading to other areas, the Lakers and Hornets were unable to face each other on Thursday.

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick had to evacuate with his family as their home was consumed by the wildfire. Sharing his firsthand perspective, Redick described the chaos and devastation. According to the latest reports from authorities, the fire has so far claimed 11 lives and destroyed more than 10,000 buildings, including entertainment and sports facilities. Over 14,000 hectares have been burned, according to the California organization monitoring the phenomenon.

The Lakers organization has been deeply affected by the fire, especially coach JJ Redick, who watched the home he rented in Pacific Palisades—a prestigious neighborhood—be wiped off the map by flames. “I don’t think I’ve cried or screamed like that in years,” said the coach, who sought refuge in a hotel with his wife and two children after escaping while the team was returning from a road trip. “It’s total devastation and destruction—everything is gone. I don’t think you can prepare for something like this,” Redick added. He admitted that before the Lakers’ practice on Friday, “we talked about it as a group.”

LeBron James’ coach explained, “It’s our responsibility, and the responsibility of everyone in this organization, to move forward and help others.”

Despite Saturday’s game cancellation and the uncertainty surrounding rescheduled matches, JJ expressed hope that returning to play would “bring a bit of hope to everyone” after the disaster. Following the team meeting, after hearing about the suspension, he stayed at the shooting court with some players who offered their support.

As fierce winds that fueled the deadly fires in the area began to subside, members of the sports community started grappling with the consequences. “The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in contact with local authorities in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the current situation in the area, and postponing the game will prevent resources from being diverted away from wildfire emergency response efforts,” the league explained.

Meanwhile, UCLA, a top team in the collegiate league, will not play Sunday after Northwestern declined to travel to Los Angeles. The Wildcats will also miss Wednesday’s game against JuJu Watkins and USC No. 4. Although no reason was given in the Big Ten announcement, the ongoing wildfires have devastated the region. The league is exploring options to reschedule those games. Pepperdine altered the timing for its men’s and women’s matches against Loyola Marymount on Saturday due to restricted access to its Pacific-facing Malibu campus. The Pacific Coast Highway south of the campus remains closed due to the Palisades Fire.

Similarly, the game between the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to a winter storm. The NBA stated that the decision was made “to prioritize the safety of players, fans, and staff due to severe weather and dangerous icy conditions in the Atlanta area.”

The league announced that a new date for the rescheduled game would be provided later. A winter storm had brought freezing rain and ice to the Atlanta area on Friday, with roads expected to refreeze on Saturday evening.