Full refunds for tickets purchased for the shorted NBA preseason game at Valley View Casino Center will be available after noon on Monday from the point of sale, the Los Angeles Lakers announced.
The Lakers were leading the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 85-70, with two minutes, 16 seconds left in the third quarter Saturday night when the referees stopped the game due to moisture on the floor.
“The officials said they weren’t comfortable with the slippage of players,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “They felt there was a possibility of players getting hurt.”
Scott said he told Luke Walton, Golden State’s interim head coach, “I don’t mind calling this game and he said, ‘I’m in agreement.”‘
Walton told CSNBayArea.com, the website of the regional cable channel that carries the Warriors games, ending the game early “was the right move.”
Arena spokesman Rick Schloss did not criticize the stoppage, calling player safety the top priority. Schloss cited high humidity as the reason for the wet spots.
Some in the crowd announced at 14,100 chanted “refund” after it was announced the game was ended prematurely.
Play had been temporarily stopped in the first half due to wet spots on the court.
When asked if he would be comfortable again playing at the Valley View Casino Center, Scott responded, “That ain’t up to me.”
The Lakers had no comment at this time about whether the shortened game would affect the chances of the Lakers playing again at Valley View Casino Center.
Scott was also asked what he would tell the fans who were disappointed by its early end.
“Sorry,” Scott said. “We’re trying to do what’s in the best interest of our players as well as the Golden State Warrior players. We don’t want anybody getting hurt especially at this time of the season when you can have a significant injury that’s going to be playing major minutes for you.
“I think we all wanted to finish the game, but to us, at this particular time, it was not worth the risk.”
Scott said “once or twice” during his 14-season NBA playing career, including 11 with the Lakers, that he played in games that were halted early because of a wet court. The only detail he could remember was that one opponent was the Phoenix Suns.
Guard Jordan Clarkson led the Lakers with 17 points in 17 minutes, 52 seconds of play, making seven of nine shots. Forward Julius Randle added 14 in 12 minutes, while forward/guard Nick Young 10 in 12 minutes off the bench as the Lakers improved to 2-4 in preseason play.
The victory was the Lakers’ first over an NBA opponent. They had defeated Israel’s Maccabi Haifa, 126-83, last Sunday.
Golden State guard Stephen Curry, the 2014-15 NBA MVP, led all scorers, with 19 points in 22:24, making seven of 13 shots, including five of 10 3-point shots.
Center Festus Ezell was the only other Warrior in double figures, scoring 10 points in 19 minutes, as the team fell to 2-3 in preseason play.
Brazilian guard Marcelo Huertas had a game-high six assists in 12 minutes in his debut with the Lakers.
“I thought he did a great job of really directing the offense and letting guys know where they needed to be,” Scott said.
The 31-year-old had missed each of the first five preseason games after straining his right hamstring during training camp in Honolulu on Oct. 3. The Lakers signed the 6-foot-3 Huertas as a free agent Sept. 9 after he spent the past four season with Spain’s FC Barcelona.
Huertas made both of his two shots and finished with four points.
“I got to see a good 12 minutes from him,” Scott said. “I wanted 18. He was going to play in the fourth quarter a little bit.”
Scott said with two preseason games left, “normally I would go to a regular rotation and try to see what fits and what doesn’t, but I’m not sure I can do that right now. (I) still want to see a little bit more of more guys.”
The Lakers led 62-53 at halftime after the first quarter ended in a 31- 31 tie. The Lakers led by at least seven during the abbreviated third quarter. The final margin matched their biggest lead of the game and quarter.
Lakers perennial all-star guard Kobe Bryant was not at the game.
Bryant suffered a contusion in his lower left leg during Tuesday’s 107- 100 preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas when he tripped over the right foot of guard Rajon Rondo and his leg hit the right leg of center Kosta Koufos.
Bryant was to receive additional treatment today at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo, then return to his Orange County home, coach Byron Scott told reporters Friday at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
Warriors guard Klay Thompson, an All-NBA third team selection last season, was not with the team to attend a funeral.
Golden State starting center Andrew Bogut was also not with the team because of a broken nose.
Walton, a University of San Diego High School graduate, has served as the Warriors interim head coach throughout the preseason, in place of Steve Kerr.
Kerr has taken a leave of absence from the team as he continues with the rehabilitation and recovery process from two surgeries on his back to repair a ruptured disc.
