Los Angeles (AFP)

The Los Angeles derby between the Lakers and the LA Clippers, scheduled for Tuesday at the Staples Center, has been postponed, the NBA announced Monday after the death of planetary basketball star Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash.

This regular season meeting will be rescheduled at a later date, the proceeding said.

"The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers, deeply distressed by the tragic loss of club legend Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash on Sunday," said the NBA in a short statement. .

"The Los Angeles Lakers would like to thank you all for the tremendous wave of support and condolence. This is a very difficult time for all of us. We continue to support the Bryant family and will share more information as soon as they are available ", reacted the Californian club in a separate press release, confirming the decision to postpone.

The management of the franchise, the club forever of one who will remain as one of the greatest players in the history of the orange ball, had so far remained silent, still in shock after the tragedy the day before.

The 41-year-old star, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash on a hill near Los Angeles.

While the entire basketball world has expressed its sorrow and paid tribute to Bryant, the current Lakers star LeBron James has not yet spoken. Images showed him in tears Sunday afternoon on the tarmac at Los Angeles airport, where his team had just landed from Philadelphia.

The first player on the team to speak is winger Anthony Davis.

"How hard it was. You were the first guy to take me under your wing and show me the inner workings of the league. We've had so many good conversations on so many topics and I'll treasure those moments forever. love forever, #RIPKobe #RIPGiGi, "he wrote on Instagram on Monday.

The third "angelino" duel between the Lakers and their Clipper rivals was to be played Tuesday evening at the Staples Center, place of the countless exploits of Bryant, whose two jersey flocked 8 and 24 are hung from the ceiling.

But the purple and gold club was not ready to rethink basketball so early. His next game will now be Friday at home against Portland.

Neither were the Clippers, whose trainer Doc Rivers struggled to hold back tears from the press after the day's training.

"I don't have much to say. The news of death (of Bryant) is just devastating to everyone who knew him. He was everything we loved in sports. He had that little DNA "athletes can have, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan," he said.

"There, at this moment, everyone is a fan of the Lakers. We are all Lakers at the moment," he concluded.

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