Unprecedented logistics at Staples Center this weekend
L.A.'s Morning News: Phil Hulett and Penny Griego, Audio/Video,Clippers,Events,L.A. News,Sports
(AP Photo)
Staples Center is always among the world’s busiest arenas, hosting a jam-packed slate of concerts and shows crammed between games for the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers and the NHL’s Kings.
But the downtown Los Angeles venue is preparing for its craziest weekend ever. After a remarkable run of simultaneous postseason success, Staples Center’s three main tenants are combining to host six playoff games in just four days.
Starting with Game 3 of the Kings’ Western Conference final against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday night and concluding with Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, the building will host a noon-to-night barrage of dunks and slap shots, 3-pointers and glove saves in a succession of pressure-packed postseason games.
For Lee Zeidman, Staples Center’s senior vice president and general manager, this confluence of playoff success is both a visceral thrill and a puzzle to be solved.
Indeed, it’s difficult enough to clean and prepare 1 million square feet of arena, including 168 luxury suites and 53 concession stands, twice in the same day. But the toughest of Staples Center’s three changeovers is going from hockey to basketball — and that’s not even including the potential of overtime hockey, which can go on indefinitely.
Zeidman spoke with KFWB’s Penny Griego and Phil Hulett about the challenging logistics. Click the play button to listen.
‘Sportsageddon’ in LA starts tonight
L.A.'s Morning News: Phil Hulett and Penny Griego, Clippers,Entertainment,Events,L.A. News,Sports
This will be a busy weekend in Los Angeles with playoff games, a baseball homestand and a cycling race. Starting tonight, downtown L.A. is going to be jammed with sporting events and the traffic that goes along with it. KFWB’s John Brooks called in to Penny Griego and Phil Hulett from Staples Center.
(AP) — Tim Duncan had 26 points and 10 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs, recharged after a weeklong layoff, wore down the busy Los Angeles Clippers to win Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series, 108-92 on Tuesday night.
Playing for the sixth time in 11 days, Los Angeles gave San Antonio its toughest first half of the playoffs before fading fast. And unlike their stunning Game 1 comeback at Memphis in the first round, the Clippers didn’t have the wind this time.
Manu Ginobili added 22 points for the Spurs, who’ve won 15 in a row. It’s the longest winning streak sustained in the NBA playoffs since the 2004 Spurs won 17 straight.
Eric Bledsoe led the Clippers with 23 points. Game 2 is Thursday night. That gives the beat-up and banged-up Clippers one full day of rest – which is all the time they’ve had to recover between games for the past week and a half.
Griffin says he’ll play in Game 1 despite knee
Money 101 with Bob McCormick, Clippers,KFWB News,L.A. News,Sports
(AP Photo)
(AP) – Blake Griffin woke up Monday with his sprained left knee not feeling worse, but not really much better. Rest is the only remedy, a luxury the Los Angeles Clippers don’t have, and doctors guess he might miss two weeks if this were the regular season. Griffin says he will play in Game 1 tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro is making no such guarantees. “I don’t know yet,” Del Negro said Monday. “I’ll make that decision tomorrow after shootaround, after I talk to the trainer.”
Griffin said there is “no doubt” about his availability for the start of the Western Conference semifinals, which start two days after the hobbled All-Star played fewer than two minutes in the fourth quarter of a Game 7 win at Memphis. His injury is the most worrisome for the banged-up Clippers: All-Star Chris Paul said Monday that his bothersome right hip is OK, and forward Caron Butler is expected to play despite his broken left hand.
Morning shows duel over Clippers and Spurs
L.A.'s Morning News: Phil Hulett and Penny Griego, Clippers,L.A. News,Sports
The Clippers begin the second round of the NBA playoffs tonight as they take on the San Antonio Spurs. You can hear the game live on KFWB NEWS TALK 980, beginning at 6:00. The Clippers are coming off an exciting seven-game series with the Memphis Grizzlies while the Spurs have been resting for more than a week after sweeping the Utah Jazz.
Are the fans in San Antonio as fired up for this game as Clipper fans? KFWB’s Penny Griego and Phil Hulett contacted Walter Pasacrita, the morning co-host at KTKR Radio in San Antonio, to discuss the series.
KFWB’S Bob McCormick chats with Clippers play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler about yesterday’s big win in Memphis and previews tomorrow night’s San Antonio series opener.
Clippers advance and renew KFWB as flagship station
L.A.'s Morning News: Phil Hulett and Penny Griego, Clippers,L.A. News,Sports
As the home of your Los Angeles Clippers, we here at KFWB NEWS TALK 980 can’t be more pleased that our team is moving on to the next round in the playoffs. But we are happy about something else. Christian Howard, the VP of Marketing and Broadcasting for the Clippers, joined Penny Griego and Phil Hulett to make the official announcement. Click the play button to listen.
KFWB NEWS TALK 980 will continue as the Los Angeles Clippers flagship radio station with the signing of an exclusive multi-year broadcast rights agreement to carry all preseason, regular season and postseason games, it was jointly announced today by station General Manager Valerie K. Blackburn and Clippers’ President Andy Roeser.
KFWB began broadcasting Clippers games at the start of the 2009-10 season. Per station and team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We are so happy to forge forward with our relationship with the Clippers who have captured the hearts of Southern Californians and fans across the country,” stated Blackburn. “The Los Angeles Clippers have emerged as a fan favorite in this town and are an extremely important part of our ongoing commitment to provide quality programming to our listeners.”
“KFWB has been an incredible partner for us,” said Roeser. “We are honored to extend this partnership and to continue to be a part of KFWB’s great tradition in Los Angeles.”
Brian Sieman handles play-by-play duties for the Clippers, currently taking part in the NBA playoffs. Isaac Lowenkron hosts the pregame, halftime and postgame shows on KFWB.
KFWB is operated by the KFWB Asset Trust and the KFWB License Trust, divestiture trusts under the management of Diane Sutter, President and CEO of ShootingStar Broadcasting.
Los Angeles Clippers Nick Young drives past Memphis Grizzlies Mike Conley during Game 1 of first-round NBA basketball playoff series (AP Photo)
Following an amazing win in Memphis, KFWB’s Bret Lewis has launched a new feature called Clippers Breakout, which will air during the NBA Playoffs. The feature will air at 5:52am and 7:52am on KFWB NEWS TALK 980. We will also post it here. Click below to listen to today’s installment.
Win a pair of tickets to see the Clippers play in Game One of the NBA Playoffs from KFWB NEWS TALK 980! Click here to enter.
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