The September 11th attack
Lakers' Oct. 7 exhibition in Hawai'i still scheduled

Advertiser Staff and Wire Reports

The Lakers still are coming to Hawai'i.

So far.

"Nothing's changed. We're still planning on coming out there," said John Black, director of public relations for the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers were scheduled to open training camp in Hawai'i Sept. 29 on their way to Tokyo for a pair of exhibition games against the Golden State Warriors Oct. 13-14.

But yesterday, the NBA canceled all six of its preseason games scheduled outside the United States and Canada because of last week's terrorist attacks.

With the Japan portion of their preseason canceled, the Lakers are considering training solely in their southern California training facility in El Segundo, rather than spending two weeks in Honolulu, according to a Los Angeles Times article.

The team also was scheduled to play an exhibition game against the Warriors on Oct. 7 at the University of Hawai'i's Stan Sheriff Center.

"If nothing happens by the end of the week, it's not going to happen (the cancelation)," Black said.

The ticket office at Stan Sheriff also is proceeding as if the game will be played.

Besides the games in the Tokyo Dome, the NBA also canceled games in Cologne, Germany; Pesaro, Italy and Mexico City.

"In light of the current climate, now is not the right time to travel outside the country if it isn't necessary," NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said.

The Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves also lost two games apiece.

The Raptors and Timberwolves were scheduled to play in a doubleheader on Oct. 11 at Pesaro, Italy with the Raptors to face Germany's Telekom Baskets Bonn and the Timberwolves scheduled against Italy's Scavolini Pesaro.

Then the Raptors and Timberwolves were to play each other on Oct. 13 in Cologne.

The Los Angeles Clippers were to play the Orlando Magic Oct. 21 at Mexico City.