Los Angeles Clippers starters sat on the bench in street clothes, but their absence hardly muted the enthusiasm at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday night.
To be sure, the courtside celebrities, which included Lenny Wilkens, Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Walter Jones, Detlef Schrempf, Fred Brown, Mercedes Russell and Ink Aleaga, outshined the L.A. reserves who easily captured a 121-81 victory against Maccabi Ra’anana of the Israeli National League in their exhibition opener.
But the big winners were the 9,333 Climate Pledge fans who witnessed the first NBA game in Seattle since 2018.
“It’s always good to see NBA basketball here in Seattle,” Sonics great Shawn Kemp said. “Once the NBA starts to come back here like this, hopefully there’s something good going on behind the scenes. I tell fans right now to be patient. The NBA has always been big on keeping their business quiet and tight, but I do think positive moves have been made to get a team back to Seattle.”
The Clippers’ game on Friday and their Monday exhibition against the Portland Trail Blazers appear to be indications the NBA is interested in returning to Seattle for the first time since Clay Bennett moved the Sonics to Oklahoma City in 2008.
“I believe Seattle is a lock (in terms of expansion),” Kemp said. “It’s the second team that’s the holdup, whether that’s Las Vegas or whatever the next city is. … But we’ve proved and continue to prove that we’re an NBA city.”
Without stars Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and John Wall, the Clippers had no trouble taking a double-digit lead in the first quarter and cruising in the second half for a comfortable victory.
Leonard and Wall are expected to play Monday in a game that came about after a conversation between Clippers coach Tyronn Lue and Blazers coach Chauncey Billups.
“ (We) just talked about it in the summertime and just trying to get to the same city where we have a few days to have camp and play a couple of games and kind of be together to hang out,” Lue said. “We said what better place than Seattle. His owner is here in Seattle. Mr. Ballmer is here in Seattle. So we thought it was a no-brainer. I’m just glad we were able to get it together and now here we are.”
Lue, an 11-year NBA veteran, has fond memories of playing in Seattle.
“Just the great GP (Gary Payton) and Shawn Kemp,” he said. “Having a chance to play against Earl Watson and Shammond Williams, two guys that I knew beforehand. Everything that Lenny Wilkens meant to the city, and George Karl.
“It’s always been a great city to me. It’s unfortunate they lost their team and the team went to OKC, but this city definitely deserves a team. Just with their fan base and how they supported. It’s a great place to play.”