A Leaky Staples Roof? Now This Is Embarrassing
Staples Center opened in 1999, so it shouldn't falling apart already.
But it apparently isn't water proof. Maybe it never was. It certainly isn't now.
We're about five minutes into a stoppage in play in the Lakers-Cavaliers game because a significant amount of water is coming through the roof ... and landing just to the south of the west basket -- the one at the Lakers' bench end of the floor.
It is not an inconsiderable amount of water, either; ABC had a shot recently in which drops of water could be coming down fairly briskly, and a couple of drops were on the camera lens itself.
The water is puddling up just a few inches outside the baseline. That is, not quite on the playing surface, but certainly in an area that players run across when they're moving without the ball.
This is embarrassing. Now, a game on national TV is being held up because we can't put on a proper roof.
Michele Tafoya just did a standup from near the puddle.
"I am told the roofing company is here," she said. "I'm told it's been an issue in the past ... and they've put a tarp on the roof. .. In the meantime it looks like they're going to wipe it down and get the tarp up and try to get back to playing."
Well, they haven't yet. And we're 10 minutes in.
The ABC people have "thrown" the telecast back to the ESPN studios, and Bill Walton just had a long anecdote about Spencer Haywood, and the dangers of a wet floor. According to Big Bill, the roof in Seattle was leaking, but they kept playing ... and Haywood slipped, tore up his knee "and was never the same player again," according to Walton.
Anyway, that 3 p.m. target for ending the game... pushing it back toward 3:30.
Might be a riot if they cancel the game.
Lawrence Tanter is on the PA. "Thanks for your patience. The players are warming up, and the game will resume shortly."
Tafoya back on, with the ingenious plan: The ball boys will wipe up the wet spot relentlessly whenever the game is at the other end of the court.
Yikes. Maybe they should fix the roof, especially if it has been "an issue in the past."