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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — With the Lakers about to play their first game after a six-day layoff due to the Southern California wildfires, their coach, JJ Redick, took a moment to focus on something he hoped could be gained after so much has been lost.
“I think a group functions best when you draw strength from each other,” said Redick, whose home was one of the thousands lost to the fires in the past week. “Then it’s our job to go give strength, and give hope and give joy. Sports are a lot of things, and sports can certainly provide an escape and a distraction, and hopefully sports, and tonight, can provide some joy as well.”
The Lakers worked with the NBA, county officials and the San Antonio Spurs to hold Monday’s game as scheduled, announcing the franchise would be dedicating the game to the L.A. community and the first responders who have worked to provide relief from the fires that have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures across 40,000 acres of charred land.
“Sports really work well when the team, the organization has a connection to the city and the fans feel a connection to the team,” Redick said before the Lakers lost 126-102 to the Spurs. “And then it just flows in some sort of eternal circle of that. The Lakers have that with the city of Los Angeles. Having played here before and lived here, I’m well aware of that relationship. And part of the reason I wanted to coach here was to participate in that.”
The Lakers banded together with all of L.A.’s professional sports teams to pledge more than $8 million toward local relief efforts, and the team started a donation drive Monday that it will continue through Saturday to collect essential personal items and nonperishable food items at home games at Crypto.com Arena and at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo.
Redick said several Lakers players were forced to leave their homes by order of evacuation, too.
Despite the upheaval around them, Redick said the Lakers became closer during the unplanned break in their game schedule, with contests against the Charlotte Hornets and another game against the Spurs postponed indefinitely.
“Truthfully, I think it was our best three days in the gym — non-games, of course — but our best three days in the gym since the first three days of training camp,” Redick said. “It was the right spirit, we got a lot done and the guys were super connected.”
L.A. players took the court before the game wearing special black warmup shirts printed with the Lakers’ logo along with the L.A. Fire Department’s symbol and the message, “Thank you, first responders.” Prior to tipoff, Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter invited the crowd to join in a moment of silence and reflection.
“Our hearts are with those who have suffered from this horrible tragedy,” he said.
Thankful for the heroes protecting LA 💛 pic.twitter.com/BwqcJkX3aI
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 14, 2025
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, one of the players displaced by the fires, also took the microphone to address the fans from center court.
“We definitely want to give a shoutout to the first responders who are putting their lives on the line right now to protect our community,” Vincent said.
The Clippers, meanwhile, returned to host the Miami Heat on Monday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood about 10 miles south of downtown. They covered every seat with giveaway white towels featuring the words “LA Strong” and a blue image of the state of California.
“We’re so thankful for the first responders, but we ache for the victims,” public address announcer Eric Smith said before the Clippers’ 109-98 win against the Heat. “The smoke will lift and they will return and rebuild, because this is L.A. Today we all stand together [as] one team, one Los Angeles.”
The Heat, who will face the Lakers on Wednesday, didn’t know if they would be allowed to head to Los Angeles on Saturday until after their game in Portland.
“We understand our responsibility,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We want to do whatever we can in this profession. We’re coming with great empathy and grace, and if our role is to provide entertainment and inspiration, then that’s our role. But while we’re doing that, we’re thinking about all the devastation and all people are dealing with. It’s just been horrible.”
Redick, whose family is staying in a hotel while reeling from the loss of their Pacific Palisades home, again took the chance to thank everyone inside and outside the Lakers organization who has offered support thus far.
“I’m awfully proud to be a part of the Lakers organization and our response,” Redick said. “It just makes you feel proud to be with the Lakers.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.