If you’re an NBA fan, or if you are just curious, Los Angeles is one of the best cities you’ll ever come across. By reading this article, you’ll find out how to buy tickets for NBA games to see the Lakers and the Clippers while saving money and also how to get to the arena where they play.
Enter the TRAVELINUSA code to get a $10 discount on a minimum purchase of $100
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Los Angeles NBA Teams: Lakers and Clippers
Raise your hand if you’ve never heard of the Los Angeles Lakers. Even if you are not really an expert, it is rare that you have never heard of one of the most famous and winning franchises in the NBA.
The Lakers’ popularity is not only due to its numerous victories, but also because of all of the champions who have worn the gold and purple jersey throughout their history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, just to name a few, are not just the stars of the team but true legends of the NBA.
The Clippers, I hope the fans forgive me, are a team with a much more modest history, but since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego in 1984, they have also had difficulty creating a solid fan base in the City of Angels. At the moment, they haven’t managed to conquer any NBA titles, even if in recent years, by signings good players (for example, Kawhi Leonard) they are trying to write the glorious first pages of their history, and who knows if in the near future they won’t be able to step out of the Lakers’ shadow.
As long as the balance of power remains, at least there is a positive side, as we’ll see later, which is the opportunity to attend the Clippers games and spending much less while still being able to enjoy the magical atmosphere of an NBA game.
When Does the NBA Regular Season Start?
The NBA Regular Season lasts about six months. It starts at the end of October and usually lasts until mid-April. Once this phase is over, the 16 best teams (the first 8 of the two Conference) will compete in the playoffs, followed by the finals to declare the NBA champion.
This second part takes place until June; obviously, it’s not certain that a Los Angeles team will participate (although it’s likely), but keep in mind that, being the decisive and most important phase of the tournament, the availability of tickets will be much more scarce and consequently prices will be higher.
Where to Buy NBA Tickets in Los Angeles
NBA tickets for the Lakers and Clippers can be purchased online or directly from the Staples Center’s official ticket office. I personally recommend using the first option (perhaps taking advantage of the discount code for readers of our website that you can find below), because it is a guaranteed way to obtain your ticket without worrying about anything else, and it allows you to take your time to choose your seat and to save all the time you would otherwise have spent in line at the ticket office.
NBA tickets with TRAVELINUSA discount code
If you are planning to visit Los Angeles for several days and would like to try to visit the ticket office in person, here are some tips that may be helpful. The official Staples Center box office address is 1111 S Figueroa Street and is open at the following times (I invite you to check the official website in case the hours of operation have changed):
- The day of an event: Every day of the week from 10:00 am until half an hour before the start of the event.
- Days without events: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, closed on Sunday.
Best Seats at the Staples Center and Ticket Prices
The seats inside the Staples Center are divided into 3 main sections. Each section is divided into smaller sectors. Keep in mind, however, that all the sectors with seat numbers 100 to 199 refer to the first section, the one closest to the basketball court (101-119), those with seat numbers from 200 to 299 refer to the second section, and finally, those with seat numbers from 300 and up are located in the third section (301-334), the section that is highest and furthest away from the court.
Obviously, the seats in the first section are the most expensive, while those in the third section are the cheapest and those in the second section are moderately priced.
While I am still on the subject of prices (at the moment I’m writing), I want to mention that attending a Los Angeles Clippers game is much cheaper than attending a Lakers game. Of course, depending on the performance and results of the two teams in the coming years, this could change.
So if you want to watch a Lakers game with a mid-level opponent get ready to spend from $100 to $400 for the third section farthest away from the court. Tickets for the first section can cost even thousands of dollars and the tickets for the middle section are upwards of $300.
As far as Clippers are concerned, prices for the “cheap” sectors can also be $30 or less (it’s not rare to find tickets for the third section that cost between $20 and $30), even the second section generally offers very competitive prices as they range from $70 to $200. If you buy your ticket for the first section ahead of time, you can even find tickets for the last rows that are in the same price range. The most expensive sectors also never reach the astronomical figures of the Lakers and can range between $300 and $500.
Where can I buy tickets online?
Here are some of the main websites where you can buy NBA tickets for games in Los Angeles. All of the websites provide a convenient map to select seats and to help you quickly understand the location of the sector you are interested in.
- Hellotickets – Discount code of $10: TRAVELINUSA
- TicketNetwork
NBA Tickets with discount code TRAVELINUSA
Please note: Check to make sure you’re buying tickets for a game at the Staples Center and not for an away game!
Tickets: How and when do you get them?
The way you receive your tickets varies depending on the platform you used to purchase them. Generally speaking, the two main ways are e-tickets and ticket collection via voucher or proof of purchase that you must present in person.
If you have an e-ticket, you may simply need to present your ticket with an attached QR code that is added when you print the ticket. For this reason, I invite you to check directly with the supplier from which you will make the purchase.
A last (rarer, more expensive, and less practical) alternative is to receive the physical ticket by mail. If you choose this option, make sure it arrives in time before your trip or that it can be sent to your hotel if you have already left.
How to Get to the Staples Center
The Staples Center is not only home to the Clippers and Lakers, but it is also one of the most important entertainment venues in Los Angeles. In fact, in addition to the NBA games, the greatest international artists perform shows and concerts here.
Make sure to arrive early; it may sound like a trivial piece of advice, but you can never be too careful especially because you’ll have to go through very thorough security controls that also include metal detectors. Always in this regard, if you bring a backpack, make sure to pack light.
The address of the arena is 1111 South Figueroa Street which is located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.
How to get to the Staples Center by public transportation
If you plan to use public transportation to get to the Staples Center, the nearest metro station is 7th Street / Metro Center which is served by the Purple Line and Red Line. Once there, you have basically two options: you can either walk for just over 10 minutes to the Staples Center, or take the Metro A Line (Blue) or Metro E Line (Expo) tram and get off at Pico Station, which is less than 5 minutes walking from the arena.
There are a lot of buses that come to this area, so it would not be practical to list them all here. If you are in an area where there are no metro or tram stops, you can consult this useful trip planner of the Los Angeles public transportation system. I also invite you to use this tool to understand how much time you will need to travel. It is not easy to give a precise indication of the time you need to take to reach the Staples Center because a lot will depend on the area you are leaving from.
Parking in the area
If you are planning to reach the Staples Center with your car (or rental car), I want to let you know that there is no official parking at the arena, but there are a few paid parking spaces in its immediate vicinity (at variable cost depending on the event and the parking space chosen). Here are some options:
- Lot 1, Lot W, and Lot SW VIP (900 Chick Hearn Court)
- Lot C (1145 L.A. Live Way)
- Lot E (888 West Olympic Boulevard)
- Lot 4 (966 Georgia Street)
- Lot 9 (1025 South Flower Street)
- Lot 11 (1111 South Hope Street)
- Lot 12 (840 Francisco Street)
- Pico Lot (1302 West Pico Boulevard)
Where to Eat in the Area
The Staples Center has all sorts of restaurants from the big fast food chains to the more refined ones. You’ll find everything from sushi to hamburgers. Of course, don’t expect to find low prices. If you’ve managed to buy a cheap ticket, it’s not uncommon for you to spend much more on food, drinks, and snacks.
Therefore, the alternative solution could be to eat somewhere around the arena either before or after the event you attended. Here are some places where you can enjoy a good burger accompanied by some fries and each one has its own touch of originality. All of the options are a short walk away from the Staples Center.
- Rock’N Fish (800 W Olympic Blvd Ste A160)
- Smashburger (1011 S Figueroa St Ste B101)
- Yard House (800 W Olympic Blvd A-115)
- The Original Pantry (877 S Figueroa St)
How to Save Money Buying NBA Tickets
As I have already mentioned, if you plan on spending more than $100, you can take advantage of a discount of $10 by going on the Hellotickets website and entering the discount code TRAVELINUSA during the purchase. You can also use this discount for all other tickets for sporting and musical events purchased on the Hellotickets website. It’s very simple. Once you have selected the seats and entered your name, last name and email address, just click on the link that says “I have a discount code” and write TRAVELINUSA.
Tips for Accommodations
Downtown Los Angeles is an ideal place to look for accommodations because it can also be a good base to visit the other attractions located in the huge Greater Los Angeles Area. To get some specific advice on hotels and on other recommended neighborhoods where you can find accommodations in the city, you can click on the link below.
