Staples Center a Slave to Its Busy Schedule

Last Friday’s game was the 96th pro basketball game played at Staples Center since the exhibition season began-- and potentially the last if the NBA Finals ends in New Jersey.

After all this time, it’s anything but routine.

Britney Spears played concerts Tuesday and Thursday nights, and in between was Wednesday’s opening game of the Finals.

That meant her elaborate stage--which filled 18 trucks--had to be taken down and reassembled, then packed up again. Staples Center workers finished the transition back to the basketball setup at 7 a.m.

Just because the Lakers headed East doesn’t mean it will be a slow week at Staples. There was an Avengers Arena football game Saturday and there’s a Sparks WNBA game Tuesday. And the arena is in operation for “Home Court Advantage” when the Laker games in New Jersey are shown on the giant screens at Staples Center.