Los Angeles officials can't afford Lakers parade

LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers need only one more win to capture a 15th NBA Championship, but some city officials are already saying they can't afford to throw the team a victory party.

The Lakers have taken a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series against the Orlando Magic and will clinch the championship if they win again on Sunday night (Monday morning, Beijing time), setting the stage for a triumphal parade through downtown Los Angeles as early as Tuesday.

But such a celebration could cost the city $1 million or more at a time when city leaders, faced with a deep budget deficit, were contemplating worker layoffs and cuts in services.