Lakers’ Next Game Postponed After Kobe Bryant’s Death
Jan 27, 2020, 4:17 PM | Updated: 4:45 pm
Lights illuminate the jerseys in tribute of former Los Angeles Laker shooting guard, NBA star, Kobe Bryant during the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Bryant, 41, and his daughter died today in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NBA has postponed the Los Angeles Lakers’ next game against the Clippers on Tuesday night after the deaths of retired superstar Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash.
The league announced the decision Monday.
Bryant’s helicopter crashed Sunday, and the Lakers learned about it while flying home from an East Coast road trip. LeBron James and several other players appeared to be visibly affected by the news when they got off the plane.
The @Lakers game against the @LAClippers that was scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed.
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 27, 2020
The Lakers organization hasn’t made a public statement about Bryant’s death, choosing to mourn in private. The 16-time NBA champion franchise made grief counselors available to employees Monday after the loss of Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers.
Dwight Howard is the only current Lakers player who played with Bryant, but the players all knew him. Bryant had attended a handful of Lakers games in recent years with his daughter, Gianna, who also died in the crash in Calabasas, California.
The @Lakers have elected to mourn in silence but announced the postponement of their game slated for tomorrow. https://t.co/c21xUORlOb
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 27, 2020
The NBA says the game between the Los Angeles rivals will be rescheduled later.
The next game on the Lakers’ schedule is Friday night at home against Portland.
