Lakers plan to fix errors at base of Kobe Bryant statue

The Lakers say they’re planning to fix a handful of errors on the base of the statue of Kobe Bryant unveiled last month outside their arena.

The names of former NBA players Jose Calderon and Von Wafer are misspelled on the base in a rendering of the box score from Bryant’s 81-point game in January 2006, along with a misspelling of the phrase “Coach’s Decision.” There are also minor formatting mistakes in another spot on the busy base of the statue, which displays many of Bryant’s accomplishments.

“We have been aware of this for a few weeks and are already working to get it corrected soon,” the Lakers said in a statement.

The box score is carved into the marble base of the 19-foot bronze statue, which depicts Bryant in his postgame celebration of the second highest-scoring game in NBA history. Hundreds of fans gather daily around the statue, which sits among several statues honoring other Los Angeles sporting greats.

The statue is the first of three renderings of Bryant that will stand outside their downtown arena, according to his widow, Vanessa. The Lakers unveiled the first statue Feb. 8 to honor Bryant, who died along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

Clippers relocating G League team from Ontario to Oceanside

The Clippers announced Monday that their G League team will move from Ontario

to Oceanside and rebrand as the San Diego Clippers. The team will play in the new Frontwave Arena beginning with the 2024-25 season.

Oceanside, in far northern San Diego County, is about 37 miles north of Pechanga Arena (formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena), where the Clippers played from 1978 until they moved to Los Angeles in 1984.

Gauff overcomes shaky start, advances at Indian Wells

Coco Gauff gave herself an early birthday present by beating Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 7-6 (5) on Monday in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.

Gauff, who turns 20 on Wednesday, struggled early but found a way to hold her serve by saving 10 of 11 break points. She closed out the match with a serve into the body that Bronzetti couldn’t return. It extended Gauff’s winning streak in the United States to 18 matches, a run that includes winning the title at last year’s U.S. Open.

Bronzetti had a chance to force a third set when she broke Gauff to take a 5-4 lead in the tiebreaker. Gauff won the next three points.

Gauff could end up facing Naomi Osaka in the round of 16. Osaka, the former World No. 1, is playing in the fifth tournament of her return after her maternity leave in 2023.

On the men’s side, Holger Rune played his first match of the tournament and beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 7-6 (5) to advance to the round of 16. Rune had a first-round bye, and then moved on with Milos Raonic withdrew with an injury.