NBA postpones Lakers-Clippers game over continuing impact of Kobe Bryant’s death

January 27, 2020

KUSI Sports,

Posted: January 27, 2020

Updated: 3:25 PM

LOS ANGELES (KUSI) – With the Lakers reeling from the death of Kobe Bryant, the NBA postponed the team’s scheduled game Tuesday night against the Clippers at Staples Center.

“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,” according to a statement released by the league Monday afternoon. “The game will be rescheduled at a later date.”

While Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas sent shock waves across the NBA, games in other cities went on as scheduled on Sunday, despite the emotional impact on many players. 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 are next scheduled to play Friday night at Staples Center against the Portland Trail Blazers. There was no immediate word on whether that game will go ahead as scheduled.

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Animation shows the path of the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others took before the crash that killed all nine people aboard. You can see the area where it circled just east of I-5, near Glendale because Air Traffic Controllers notes poor visibility around Burbank, just to the north, and Van Nuys, to the northwest.

A post shared by KUSI News (@kusinews) on Jan 27, 2020 at 11:12am PST