Lakers, Clippers Game Postponed 'Out Of Respect' As NBA Mourns Kobe Bryant
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers scheduled for Tuesday at Staples Center has been postponed following the tragic death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
The NBA released a statement that read in part: "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 seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday."
The game will be rescheduled at a later date, league officials said.
A short time later, the Lakers organization released a statement thanking fans "for the tremendous outpouring of support and condolences. This is a very difficult time for all of us. We continue to support the Bryant family and will share more information as it is available.
Bryant's death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas sent shock waves across the NBA, and even as games went on Sunday, various teams engaged in tributes to Bryant, intentionally taking 24-second shot clock or 8-second backcourt violations in honor of the two numbers Bryant wore during his NBA career.
The Lakers' next game is scheduled for Friday night against the Blazers at Staples Center, but it wasn't immediately clear whether that game will be postponed.