With the Los Angeles Lakers just one win away from winning the NBA title, Staples Center has taken a proactive approach with safety protocols and will not show Friday night’s Game 5 or any potential postgame celebrations on the facility’s exterior digital signage.
STAPLES Center & L.A. LIVE will not be airing/showing tomorrow’s NBA Finals game or potential post game celebrations on any of the exterior digital signage. Vehicle & pedestrian access will be limited & @Lakers fans encouraged to watch the game and celebrate responsibly at home.
— Crypto.com Arena (@cryptocomarena) October 8, 2020
STAPLES Center & L.A. LIVE will not be airing/showing tomorrow’s NBA Finals game or potential post game celebrations on any of the exterior digital signage. Vehicle & pedestrian access will be limited & @Lakers fans encouraged to watch the game and celebrate responsibly at home.
— Crypto.com Arena (@cryptocomarena) October 8, 2020
Lakers fans haven’t had the opportunity to celebrate a Lakers league championship since their last title in 2010 and will not have the opportunity to come together this time because of the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
Under normal circumstances, Game 5 would have been played inside Staples Center, but will instead take place inside the NBA bubble, in Orlando, Fla.
While not being able to come together for such a community-wide experience would be a disappointment to the vast majority of fans, the return of the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Los Angeles after a decade of disappointment will no doubt provide some needed comfort.
If the Lakers are unable to bring home a title on Friday, they’ll have two more opportunities on either Sunday night or in a potential Game 7 on Tuesday night.
