NBA games on different US coasts postponed due to opposing extreme conditions

The Hawks were greeted by a winter storm when they returned to Atlanta early Friday morning after a lengthy west coast road trip. 

While the majority of the storm had moved out of the Atlanta area by Saturday morning, the hazardous icy conditions it left behind prompted NBA officials to postpone the Hawks' scheduled home game against the Houston Rockets.

The league said the decision had been made "to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area." The Rockets' flight arrived in Atlanta before the postponement was announced.

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A winter storm dumped snow and ice on the Atlanta area Friday, and some roads are expected to refreeze on Saturday night.

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Power outage numbers around Atlanta crept up Friday night as falling trees on power lines became a widespread issue. More than 110,000 customers were without electricity, mostly in the Atlanta area.

The hazardous icy conditions in the southeastern portion of the U.S. come amid a vastly different set of extremes on the west coast. Southern California continues to grapple with devastating wildfires that were sparked earlier this week in greater Los Angeles. 

On Friday, the NBA announced the Lakers and Clippers home games scheduled for Jan. 11 would not go on as initially planned due to the ongoing wildfires. 

"The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in communication with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the ongoing situation in the Los Angeles area and the game postponements ensure no resources will be diverted from the wildfire response efforts," the league said in a statement.

The Lakers' home game against the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 9 was previously postponed.

The NBA also announced that the National Basketball Players Association would donate $1 million to the American Red Cross and other organizations to assist in disaster relief efforts.

The Lakers have played home games in downtown Los Angeles for several decades. The Clippers stopped sharing an arena with the Lakers at the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, when the franchise moved to the $2 billion dollar Intuit Dome in nearby Inglewood, California.

It remains unclear whether conditions will result in the postponement of additional Lakers or Clippers home games. The rescheduled dates for the postponed Hawks, Lakers and Clippers games will be announced at a future date, the league said.

The Hawks are scheduled to host the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 14. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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