EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The cops, with their natty reversible "LAPD" jerseys worn with the white on the outside, started warming up at the east basket. A group of men aged 16-25 from the inner city, with no uniforms but so many Jordans and Kobes to make up the flat-out superior sneaker gear, started warming up at the west basket.
On this rare rain-soaked Southern California Saturday afternoon, the Lakers had invited members of the Los Angeles Police Department to play basketball in their gym against the young men from South Central L.A.
It was the third time in November the Lakers had opened their practice facility for this type of meeting.