The Los Angeles wildfires have forced yet another postponement of home games for the Lakers and Clippers. Amid the chaos, Lakers head coach J.J. Redick—a true symbol of resilience—has vowed to keep the team focused, even as his own Pacific Palisades mansion was reduced to ashes. Despite his personal tragedy, Redick insists the Lakers’ game against the Spurs must go ahead as scheduled, refusing to let the crisis derail the team’s momentum.
The Lakers were primed for a pivotal stretch: 7 home games in an 8-game span, including a “road” game against the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. This was supposed to be their golden opportunity to climb the standings, but with smoke blanketing the city, fan morale hangs in the balance. How many will brave the apocalyptic skies to fill the stands? Redick’s leadership offers hope, but the NBA’s anxiety is palpable. With wildfire conditions still unpredictable and the city in ruins, the Lakers’ entire homestand remains in limbo.
When the inferno engulfed Pacific Palisades, Redick was in Dallas with the team, enduring a 21-point loss to a Mavericks squad missing two stars. Meanwhile, his wife Chelsea and their sons were trapped in gridlocked evacuation traffic. Despite its affluent reputation, the coastal enclave—home to NBA stars like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George—proved shockingly vulnerable. Narrow roads turned into parking lots, forcing panicked residents to abandon luxury cars and flee on foot. Firefighters couldn’t reach the flames, leaving only four homes standing (saved by heroic self-defense efforts), while gardens and landscapes were scorched beyond recognition.
Redick flew back to LA that night, landing at 2 a.m. He rushed to his family’s hotel, where they embraced in tears. After a fitful 1-2 hours of sleep, he drove to survey the damage. “I was completely unprepared,” he recalled. “Total devastation. I had to take a completely different route just to find the remains. Every house I passed was gone. You can’t mentally prepare for that. Our home—it’s just gone.”
Beyond immediate relief efforts, Los Angeles faces a deeper crisis: restoring public trust. Once a global hotspot for its mild climate and opportunities, the city’s infrastructure has been exposed as fragile. Was this，or both? Answers may take years. Wealthy residents could relocate to NYC or Florida, but without confidence and resources, LA risks becoming another New Orleans—a post-Katrina ghost town still struggling two decades later.
This is why Redick is fighting to keep games on schedule. “We want to give people hope, not run away,” he declared. “Before practice today, the entire team agreed: it’s our duty to lead, to help rebuild. We’re all in this together.”
As wildfires continue to threaten the region, the Lakers’ fate—and LA’s spirit—hangs in the balance. Redick’s resolve may be the city’s brightest light amid the ashes.
