NBA Postpones Lakers/Clippers Game Following Kobe Bryant Passing, Opportunity Lurking For Bettors in Portland Tilt
El partido que debían disputar este martes los Lakers y los Clippers en el Staples Center de Los Ángeles, será suspendido en memoria de la leyenda NBA.
El primer partido que jugaría el que fuera equipo del fallecido Kobe Bryant en el escenario de sus mayores éxitos ha sido aplazado sin fecha debido al dolor que inunda a la franquicia californiana, informó este lunes la Liga estadounidense.
«La decisión se tomó por respeto a la organización de los Lakers, que está profundamente afligida por la trágica pérdida de la leyenda del equipo ,Bryant, su hija Gianna y otras siete personas en un accidente de helicóptero el domingo», explicó la oficina de comunicación de la NBA en sus redes sociales.
El texto añade que este partido de la fase regular, el primero que se suspende desde que se conoció la noticia de la muerte de Kobe Bryant, se disputará más adelante, aunque no se especifica la fecha.
NBA Postpones Lakers/Clippers Game Following Kobe Bryant Passing, Opportunity Lurking For Bettors in Portland Tilt
Tuesday’s marquee matchup between the NBA’s two Los Angeles franchises – the Lakers and the Clippers – is being postponed following the death of the legendary Kobe Bryant on Sunday.
Bryant, 41, and eight other passengers, including his daughter, Gianna, 13; perished after his Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed in Calabasas, Calif. yesterday.
In consultation with the NBA League office, the game scheduled between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers for Tuesday, January 28 will be postponed and scheduled for a future date,” according to a tweet posted by the Lakers earlier today.
For sportsbooks, there may be a near-term pinch because the betting public, or non-sharp money, has a way of gravitating toward games of this stature. For bettors, it’s one less game to consider on the NBA’s Tuesday schedule.
As Casino.org reported Sunday, at least two sportsbooks – Circa Sports in Las Vegas and Resorts Casino of Atlantic City, N.J. – closed their NBA markets in honor of the fallen NBA legend.
With tomorrow’s battle of the City Angels being rescheduled, the Lakers’ next game is slated for Friday at home against the Portland Trailblazers. That means the Lakers will have gone six days in between games, an uncommon amount of rest in the NBA. That prompted one sports betting industry insider to speculate the line for the Friday affair will be artificially higher in favor of the home team.
“Bettors could be looking to juice the Lakers Friday,” said Rex Beyers, senior sports trader at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, in an interview with Casino.org.
As Beyers noted, at least two Blazers – Trevor Ariza and Carmelo Anthony – have deep ties to Bryant. Ariza was Bryant’s teammate in Los Angeles for three years, reaching two consecutive NBA Finals, winning one in 2009. Anthony and the Lakers legend teamed up on the 2008 US Olympic gold medal squad, dubbed the “Redeem Team.”