The atmosphere inside the Amway Center was muted for the Orlando Magic’s game against the LA Clippers. It felt like everyone — the players, the teams, the broadcast, the energy int he building — was somewhere else. They really were somewhere else.
The world had learned a few hours ago that Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter and seven others. It was a tragedy beyond words that shook the sports world to its core.
So many players in the NBA grew up idolizing Bryant. Magic guard Evan Fournier tweeted before the game that this one was going to be hard.