The Brooklyn Nets will face the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in an NBA 2014 basketball game that will be live streaming FREE online from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 9:00 PM ET.
Tonight could be a momentous event as Jason Collins could become the first openly gay player to appear in an NBA game.
Collins signed a 10-day contract with Brooklyn hours before this game, and could see his first action in the league since the 35-year-old center revealed at the end of last season he is gay.
"The decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision," general manager Billy King said in a statement. "We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract."
Collins has played 12 NBA seasons, including his first seven with the Nets, when they were in New Jersey and Jason Kidd was their point guard. Kidd is now the Nets' coach and Collins has been a teammate of several other current Nets.
"Jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an NBA team. Today, I want to commend him on achieving his goal. I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment," Commissioner Adam Silver said.
The Nets instead will have to worry about Marshon Brooks, who played 112 regular-season games for them over the previous two seasons before he was part of the offseason deal that brought Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn.
Brooks started this season with Boston and then went to Golden State, which dealt him and Kent Bazemore to Los Angeles (19-36) on Thursday. Those two players combined for 29 points in their first game with the Lakers, a 101-92 win over the Celtics on Friday.
"Me and Kent just wanted to come out here and play with some energy," Brooks said. "I was tired -- real tired. But (coach Mike) D'Antoni gives you that confidence and he lets you go out there and play your game. So I felt free doing that."
Another advantage for Los Angeles is that the Nets are 2-10 in the second half of back-to-back sets after falling 93-86 at Golden State on Saturday.
The game will be televised regionally on the Time Warner Cable Sports Network and it will be live streamed online at nbaliveonline.tv/streaming/
