Lakers, Clippers return to their home courts after days of fire devastation across Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Knox and Kai Redick are two basketball-obsessed children who had amassed a giant assortment of NBA jerseys, buying and selling playing cards and autographs because of their dad’s careers as a capturing guard, a podcaster and the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Redick boys then misplaced their complete memorabilia assortment within the catastrophic wildfires that burned down their household dwelling and far of their neighborhood in Pacific Palisades final week.

After the San Antonio Spurs beat JJ Redick’s Lakers on Monday night time, Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul sought out the Redick boys and introduced them with their recreation jerseys.

“I didn’t know they have been large followers like this, however JJ is an individual that I like and who was immediately impacted by this,” Wembanyama mentioned. “So if I could make these children’ day, I’ll do it.”

The gesture put huge grins on the faces of two boys who hadn’t felt very similar to smiling recently.

And although the Lakers misplaced their first recreation again at work since catastrophic wildfires killed not less than 24 folks and destroyed vital sections of their hometown, they’re hoping sports activities will assist their metropolis’s return to normalcy after an terrible week.

The Lakers and the Clippers each went again to work Monday night time in Los Angeles’ first two NBA video games because the fires devastated giant components of the world. The Lakers have been crushed by the Spurs 126-102 of their downtown area, whereas the Clippers beat the Miami Warmth 109-98 of their brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood about 10 miles south of downtown.

Lakers huge man Anthony Davis mentioned he needed to evacuate his household after the fires acquired shut sufficient to see from his property.

“Clearly a troublesome time for our metropolis, and one factor we came upon by means of the course of COVID, sports activities sort of brings pleasure again to folks, even when it is non permanent,” Davis mentioned. “We have been desperate to play basketball once more in entrance of our followers. … Undoubtedly a troublesome state of affairs in LA, and we respect everybody’s help from around the globe.”

Davis mentioned he hopes to satisfy personally with first responders to supply thanks, and he is engaged on a technique to thank them with tickets to a Lakers recreation.

JJ Redick additionally was grateful to get again to work.

“I feel a gaggle features finest if you draw power from one another, and the best way my gamers, my workers, the group has supported, rallied round me, rallied across the metropolis … there’s actual power in that,” he mentioned. “That is the receiving of power. Then it is our job to go give power and provides hope and provides pleasure. Sports activities are a variety of issues, and sports activities can actually present an escape and a distraction. Hopefully sports activities tonight can present some pleasure as properly.”

JJ Redick and Paul are shut associates from their seasons along with the Los Angeles Clippers, with Redick saying the 20-year veteran is “like a brother to me.”

“He known as me this afternoon and mentioned, ‘Whether or not you win or we win, Vic and I are going to go over and provides the boys our jerseys,’” Redick added. “It was good of them to do it. They now every have two (jerseys), as a result of Austin (Reaves) was good sufficient to go away a pair for him in his locker after apply the opposite day. I respect all of the love, and I’m not stunned Chris did one thing like that.”

The NBA postponed two dwelling video games for the Lakers and one dwelling recreation for the Clippers final week whereas the fires nonetheless raged. The NFL additionally moved the Los Angeles Rams’ wild-card playoff recreation to suburban Phoenix on Monday night time, and Lakers followers greeted the highlights of the Rams’ blowout victory over Minnesota with a giant ovation once they appeared on the scoreboard.

Redick mentioned a couple of of his gamers had been beneath evacuation warnings in current days, and one could not make it to work on time due to exercise round his dwelling. Redick and his household misplaced nearly every thing they owned of their rented dwelling.

“I have been overwhelmed with the quantity of help and love and generosity that individuals have proven to me and my household, and actually all households which were affected by this,” Redick mentioned.

The Lakers staged a donation drive outdoors their area earlier than they hosted the Spurs, accepting meals and packaged private objects. The Lakers and Clippers have been amongst 12 Los Angeles-area professional sports activities groups that introduced Monday they are going to contribute greater than $8 million mixed for native aid efforts.

The Lakers displayed the message “Thanks first responders” on their scoreboard earlier than the sport and noticed a second of silence earlier than level guard Gabe Vincent spoke to the gang.

“On behalf my teammates, this group, our hearts exit to all those that have been affected by this,” Vincent mentioned. “We would undoubtedly like to present a shoutout to the primary responders who’re placing their lives on the road proper now to guard our neighborhood. I feel it is necessary right now that we come collectively as a metropolis, as a neighborhood, as a household, to assist help these which are in want proper now.”

The Clippers coated each seat at Intuit Dome with giveaway white towels that includes the phrases “LA Sturdy” and a blue picture of the state of California.

“We’re so grateful for the primary responders, however we ache for the victims,” public tackle announcer Eric Smith mentioned earlier than the sport. “The smoke will raise and they’re going to return and rebuild, as a result of that is LA. As we speak all of us stand collectively (as) one workforce, one Los Angeles.”

The 2 groups’ opponents additionally went by means of a number of days of uncertainty as a result of wildfires.

The Spurs have been speculated to play back-to-back video games in opposition to the Lakers beginning Saturday. The Warmth, who will face the Lakers on Wednesday, did not know if they’d be allowed to move to Los Angeles final Saturday till after their recreation in Portland.

“We perceive our accountability,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned. “We wish to do no matter we will on this occupation. We’re coming with nice empathy and style, and if our position is to supply leisure and inspiration, then that’s our position. However whereas we’re doing that, we’re fascinated with all of the devastation and all individuals are coping with. It’s simply been horrible.”

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AP Sports activities Author Beth Harris in Inglewood contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Greg Beacham, The Related Press