Tonight, Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls got their first look at the Clippers’ new arena, the Intuit Dome. The $2 billion arena is the third most expensive in the nation and according to Lonzo, it’s worth every penny.
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“I actually like this arena a lot. I know I didn’t shoot too well but shoutout [Steve] Ballmer for thinking about us. This is probably the best locker room away that I’ve ever been in,” the Bulls star said after the 112-99 road win.
As he mentioned, Ball didn’t have a very productive night at the Dome as he shot just 2 of 9 from the field. However, 35 points from Zach Lavine made up for Zo’s off night and helped Chicago pull away with the win in Los Angeles.
During his locker room interview, Ball further highlighted the aspects of the away locker room at the Intuit Dome that make it a positive experience for visiting players. “You can tell a lot has been put into it and shout out to him [Ballmer] for doing that… Locker room, we got tubs over there and stuff. So, he’s a very thoughtful man, thinking of the away team. We appreciate that.”
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball on the Clippers’ Intuit Dome:
“I actually like this arena a lot. I know I didn’t shoot too well but shoutout [Steve] Ballmer for thinking about us. This is probably the best away locker room that I’ve ever been in. He’s a very thoughtful man, thinking of… pic.twitter.com/mVQSzo6Mls
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 22, 2025
Road locker rooms are often not treated with the same importance as home locker rooms. In fact, teams would rather make conscious efforts to prompt away teams to feel uncomfortable in the arena to throw them off their game. From uncomfortable temperatures to unreliable water supplies, away teams have not always enjoyed a luxurious experience in enemy territory.
This is in stark contrast to the amenities at the Intuit Dome, which are quickly making it not just a fan favorite but a player favorite too.
Ball isn’t the only opponent to praise the Intuit Dome
The Phoenix Suns were the first team to face LAC at the Intuit Dome and their star Devin Booker also shared some positive remarks about the new arena. He was particularly taken by ‘The Wall’, a standing section that is only open to Clippers fans.
The first 13 rows of ‘The Wall’ are standing-only sections so opposing players face a barrage of nearly 4,000 fans in their eyeline whenever they go to the charity stripe. Ballmer strategically placed it behind the basket to create a college-like atmosphere and create more of a home advantage for his team.
According to Booker, that was an effective strategy. “I missed a free throw. I was pissed. [Kevin Durant] missed two down there, too. The sh*t might work. Hell yeah, spend $2 billion, put a wall up,” the Suns shooting guard said in late October.
For Rudy Gobert, who got his first taste of the arena in December, the Intuit Dome resembled the Roman Colosseum. “It reminded me of the colosseum a little bit. Like the movie Gladiator… I’m looking forward to seeing it in the playoffs with all the seats full. I think it can be pretty impressive,” the four-time Defensive Player of the Year added.
Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and now Lonzo Ball, have all shared public praise for the $2 billion arena. And more importantly, after decades of being the other team at Staples Center/ Crypto.com Arena, the Clippers finally boast a home ground to themselves. The advantage is already showing as they now boast a 15-7 record at home.
