The Milwaukee Bucks have decided to boycott Game 5 of the first-round against the Orlando Magic, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. The boycott led the NBA to postpone all games Wednesday night.
The decision came just moments around the game’s original tip-off at 4:10 p.m. EST. Milwaukee did not come on the court, while the Orlando Magic proceeded to follow suit minutes before tip-off.
Milwaukee Bucks Boycott Game 5 of NBA Playoffs; NBA Halts Playoffs
The Impact of the Jacob Blake Shooting on the Milwaukee Bucks Decision
The Milwaukee Bucks ultimately decided to boycott Game 5 in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. A police officer shot the 29-year-old seven times in the back while trying to break up a fight. Blake is now paralyzed at the hospital, as the bullets severed his spinal cord.
The Bucks players made this decision in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin, ultimately deciding that they wouldn't leave the locker room for the start of Game 5 against Orlando. https://t.co/COJ6E0aJLj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 26, 2020
The Bucks players are deeply affected by the situation. Multiple players have expressed their frustrations on the situation and the status of the country, including guard George Hill.
“We’re tired of the killings and the injustice,” George told The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears.
This isn’t the first time that these issues have hit home for Milwaukee. Sterling Brown was subjected to police brutality back in 2018 over a parking violation. The police racially profiled former Bucks player John Henson while trying to figure out a jewelry store hours. Now, it appears the team is prepared to instigate legitimate change.
The NBA Moving Forward With Initiating Change
The Bucks, as well as the rest of the league, are realizing that there are more important things going on in the world than basketball. And even though they are well-known athletes, they are much more than their titles. They are sons, fathers, uncles, cousins, etc. They’re human beings and believe that their platforms can be used for the greater good to create change.
The NBA has made efforts to make sure that this season wasn’t a distraction to the social justice issues in the country. Players wear jerseys with their unique statements, and they refuse to answers most questions, bringing more light into these issues.
From Milwaukee’s decision, the the NBA Playoffs have been put on hold.
Further Postponements and an Uncertain Future
Prior to the move by the Bucks, the Orlando Magic showed up on the court for warmups while the Bucks remained in their locker room. The Magic, in the end, left the court a few minutes before the start of their game.
This sent shockwaves across the league as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets chose to boycott as well. Then the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers also followed and chose to boycott their game. The Boston Celtics have also expressed their support for justice on Twitter. More teams are likely to follow suit in boycotting their games tomorrow.
Players such as LeBron James, Jamal Murray, DeMar DeRozan, and Donovan Mitchell have voiced their support in the decision to boycott games. Many other NBA players have also expressed their frustration towards these social injustices and police brutalities.
FUCK THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 26, 2020
The future of this NBA season is uncertain and there is no update on how the NBA will handle this situation. It has been reported by Shams Charania that players want to hold an official meeting tonight to discuss how to move forward. The players want major changes made to solve social issues. There is simply more to life than basketball.
Last Word On Pro Basketball will continue to follow this breaking development.
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