'Like a dream come true': Local fans fill Acrisure Arena for Lakers-Suns preseason game
Palm Desert resident Arvin Vindua named his son Kobe after the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. So, when it was announced that the Lakers would play a preseason game fewer than five miles from his home, Vindua said the price of tickets was a non-factor.
“We had to come,” Vindua said. “I mean, the Lakers in your backyard? Come on. This is like a dream for Lakers fans in the desert.”
Vindua and his son, 8, were among the many Coachella Valley residents who came out to Thursday night's preseason game between the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns inside Acrisure Arena. The Suns won the preseason finale 123-100.
The arena was completed last December and has since hosted major concerts and serves as the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League.
Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle opened the arena with a comedy show. Lizzo played here. So have Shania Twain, Bryan Adams, Sting and Peter Gabriel. Madonna is on the schedule.
Earlier this month, NHL stars played a preseason hockey game at the Palm Desert arena.
But on Thursday, it was the NBA’s turn to return to the Coachella Valley for the first time since the Suns played preseason games three consecutive years (2008-2010) outdoors at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
With LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Devin Booker among the big names in the house, local residents came out in droves.
“They should do this every year,” said Erick Gudina of Coachella. “This arena is awesome, and to have this kind of star power here is amazing. To not have to travel far for this is so cool.”
Arena officials said that the NBA preseason game was sold out. Acrisure Arena seats around 10,815 for basketball games.
Though the Lakers are technically the home team, the court that was placed on top of the ice rink was not painted in Lakers’ purple and gold. Instead, the painted area of the court was in two different shades of blue and Spotlight 29 Casino logos were painted on the baseline. The casino is a sponsor of the preseason game.
Words that read, “The coolest spot in the desert” were painted at mid-court.
Tip-off was set for 7 p.m. for the nationally televised game on NBATV.
With the game being played two hours from Los Angeles and four hours from Phoenix, fans from both teams crowded into the arena before tip-off. But the Lakers fans were the clear majority.
“This is just what we needed out here in the valley,” Vindua said. “There are a lot of Lakers fans out here and they’ll find that out tonight.”
Andrew John covers sports in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Fans fill Acrisure Arena to watch Lebron, KD in venue's first NBA game
