While the mental and physical devastation left behind by the California wild fires, Los Angeles was given the chance to escape it for two hours Monday night as the Lakers returned to action.The Lakers struggled, falling 126-102 to the rival San Antonio Spurs. To say the Lakers focus was fully on the game would be a flat out lie. And how could they be?
Head coach JJ Reddick lost his home. Some players had to evacuate, while others watched parts of their city disintegrate right before them.
Before tip-off Spurs guard Chris Paul called JJ Redick.The two started in the backcourt together for four years with the LA Clippers nearly a decade after competing against each other in the college. Redick and Paul bonded over their maniacal competitiveness, intricate routines and savant-like basketball IQs.
Paul called Redick to tip him off to a postgame surprise he had planned: Regardless of the result of the game — the first in nearly a week for the Lakers after two home games were postponed because of the ongoing Southern California wildfires — Paul and Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama were going to give their jerseys to Redick’s sons.
Both of Redick’s children are avid basketball fans who had amassed quite a collection of memorabilia, including jerseys and basketball cards. Redick said players would sign a jersey or card for his sons whenever he’d bring them on his Old Man and The Three podcast.But with Redick’s house among those burned down in the Palisades fire, his sons no longer have those jerseys and cards — until Paul and Wembanyama gifted them signed game-worn jerseys following the contest.
“It was nice of them to do it,” Redick said. “They now each have two because Austin (Reaves) was nice enough to leave a couple for them in his locker after practice the other day. So I just, again, appreciate all the love. And I’m not surprised Chris did something like that.”
The gesture was a heartwarming end to an otherwise tough night for the Lakers, who fell 126-102 to the Spurs to drop to 20-17. Los Angeles has lost three straight games and four of its last six. The Lakers have trailed by 20-plus points in all three losses.
That outcome also partly spoiled Michael Cooper’s jersey retirement ceremony, which occurred during an extended halftime. With Magic Johnson, Pat Riley and James Worthy, among other former teammates and Showtime stalwarts, standing at halfcourt celebrating him, Cooper was honored among arguably the most impressive list of retired jerseys in league history.
There was no escaping the external circumstances of the evening. Outside the arena, the Lakers hosted a donation drive. Inside of it, they held a moment of silence before the game and had Gabe Vincent give a speech as players donned “Thank you first responders” warmup shirts. Even Cooper acknowledged the bittersweet nature of when he was receiving his ceremony.But that’s all the more reason why Monday’s game was an important step for the Lakers, their fans and a grieving city in need of a return to normalcy.
“One thing we found out through the course of COVID is that sports kinda brings joy, back to people, even if it’s temporary,” Anthony Davis said. “And we were eager to play basketball again in front of our fans. Sucks that we weren’t able to get to win, not with just that, but then, Coop’s jersey retirement.
“But definitely a tough situation in LA, and we appreciate all of everyone’s support from around the world, around the country and other leagues and other teams. And the first responders, risking their lives to make sure that, everyone try to to be safe as possible. So, tough time, but we’re going to get through it together.”
The Lakers were clearly rusty — they hadn’t played in six days, with only one real practice and a couple of get-what-you-need days. Open shots hit the side of the backboard. Passes were thrown out of bounds or into Wembanyama’s baseball-mitt-sized hands. It never felt like there was a Lakers defender in the paint, Redick said.
They also were dealing with an incalculable emotional and mental toll. Several players, including Davis and LeBron James, had to evacuate their homes during the week. One player, Redick said, wasn’t able to make it to practice in El Segundo, Calif., while coming from Encino as the player was boxed in during an evacuation.The Lakers never used these reasons as excuses for their poor second-half performance or the loss. But they didn’t need to. The week’s weight on the group had been clear since Reaves embraced Redick at practice last week.
That sobering reality made evaluating Monday’s result a bit trickier than a typical loss. It’s difficult to separate what was happening on the court from what has been happening off of it.
Redick went into great detail about losing his home, being displaced in a hotel, trying to teach his children life lessons and rebuilding his community.
Davis saw the fire from above the hill outside his backyard and had to evacuate his Bel-Air mansion, unsure if it would still be there when he returned.
He made it clear that he knows there is still a lot of work to be done — and he wants to find the right gesture for first responders and firefighters.
“The fight isn’t over,” Davis said. “We still have a lot to do, trying to, trying to do my part as far as helping families and communities who have been affected. … Actually just talking about getting a suite for a couple of games and bringing the first responders, all the firefighters, whoever, and bring them to a game, or, meeting them or, whatever the case may be. Just trying to, figure it all out and do my part as one of the leaders here in our community.”
The Lakers will regroup over the next two days, with their next game on Wednesday against the Miami Heat. But the healing process for the team, its fans and its city is an ongoing process — and one that’ll take much longer.
“We come out and play — win, lose, draw, this game is over and everything’s still going on in the world,” Davis said. “So, bittersweet in a sense because we still have people who are dealing with real-life situations.”
