Multiple wildfires have ravaged the Los Angeles area this week, and as a consequence, more than 180,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. The disaster has also impacted the world of sports as the NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets, which was slated to take place at Cryto.com arena on January 9, will not take place on the scheduled date and has been deferred.
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Lakers vs Hornets Game Postponed
The NBA has postponed Thursday's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets, as reported by ESPN's Shams Charania and confirmed by the L.A. Times' Dan Woike. A future date for the match has not been announced yet. The decision comes as wildfires continue to ravage areas near downtown Los Angeles, making it difficult to focus on basketball. The fires have personally affected some in the NBA community, including Lakers coach JJ Redick and Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, whose family was forced to evacuate their home, prompting him to leave the team's road trip and return to L.A.
An ESPN report added that Lakers head coach JJ Redick lost his home like so many others who live in the area.
"We’re heartbroken for Los Angeles," the Lakers said in a statement on Thursday night. "Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this unimaginable situation. And our gratitude is with the first responders and all of you who come together when we need each other the most.
"Tonight’s game will be rescheduled to focus on what matters most today. We’re with you, LA."
Both the Lakers and Clippers are set to host home games in Los Angeles on Saturday, and fans are hoping for favorable updates on the wildfire containment efforts by then, particularly regarding the Palisades and Eaton fires. Meanwhile, the NFL is closely monitoring the situation, with plans currently in place for the Monday night Wild Card matchup between the Vikings and Rams to proceed as scheduled at SoFi Stadium. However, the league has a contingency plan ready in case circumstances change.