LOS ANGELES _ Nearly one month after Kobe Bryant's death led the NBA to postpone a Jan. 28 showdown between the Lakers and Clippers, the league announced Friday the rescheduled date for their matchup: April 9.
To find room for that game, which will tip off at 7:30 p.m. PST on a TNT broadcast, the league rescheduled three others that week, a process that ultimately leaves the Lakers playing three games in as many nights _ the first team to do that since New Orleans in March 2018 _ and the Clippers playing three games in four nights.
Originally, the Lakers were scheduled to play Chicago on April 7 and Golden State on April 9. Now, they will face the Warriors on April 7, the Bulls on April 8 and the Clippers one day later.
The Clippers' schedule also was affected. Their home game against Chicago, which was originally scheduled for April 8, will now be played April 6 at 7 p.m. It will mark a rare case of the NBA playing the night of the NCAA men's basketball championship game.
Additionally, the Clippers' April 7 road game against Utah will no longer be broadcast nationally on TNT.
The regular season ends April 15 and playoffs are scheduled to begin April 18.
