The NBA is suspending and postpoining Tuesday's matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers at the Staples Center in the wake of former All-Star shooting guard Kobe Bryant's sudden and tragic death. With the Lakers organization mourning their future Hall of Famer, the purple and gold franchise will play their next game instead against the Portland Trail Blazers. It will still take place at home, on Friday, Jan. 31.
With the next chance to be in the arena Bryant built during his storied career, ticket sellers on the secondary market have upped the price. It'll be the first opportunity fans will have to be in the Staples Center alongside grieving Lakers fans and players.
Tickets on StubHub, for example, are as high as $900-1,000 in the normally “cheap”est seats in the building.
The NBA is dealing with an unprecedented amount of outpouring emotions from players, coaches, officials, and fans of the game. Many previously called for the league to cancel Sunday's games. The news of Bryant's death came moments before the first slate of afternoon games.
Soon after, though, the league instead decided not to cancel games. Players and teams took their opportunity to memorialize Bryant. Teams held moments of silence and players, on their first possessions, held the ball to incur 24-second shot clock violations as an additionally way to honor the passing of the Lakers legend.
Friday's bout with the Blazers is sure to be a cathartic one for LeBron James, the Lakers, and fans.
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