Chris Kaman having trouble getting to Dallas
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DALLAS -- The record winter storm that blanketed Dallas with more than nine inches of snow and knocked out power in some areas is also wreaking havoc on Chris Kaman’s travel plans for the All-Star weekend.
The Clippers center was originally supposed to arrive around midnight Thursday before his flight was canceled because of the storm. So he switched to a red-eye flight.
And that was canceled as well.
The NBA then set up a charter flight for Kaman and Clippers Coach Kim Hughes, among others. But that flight was delayed. It was scheduled to arrive in Dallas around 5 p.m. local time Friday.
Fortunately, Clippers shooting guard Eric Gordon arrived in plenty of time for the rookie challenge Friday night, and the Lakers’ contingent of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Shannon Brown also made it here safely. Temperatures have risen above freezing and the snow is starting to melt.
Bryant won’t participate in the All-Star game Sunday because of a sprained ankle, but the guard is expected to feed Brown passes Saturday during the dunk contest. Brown is attempting to become the first Laker to win the contest since Bryant in 1997.
UPDATE: Kaman landed safely around 6 p.m. local time.
-- Ben Bolch