Milwaukee Bucks Boycott Playoff Game, Other NBA Teams Follow Suit
Milwaukee Bucks Boycott Playoff Game over Blake Shooting ... Other NBA Teams Follow Suit
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4:41 PM PT -- The Bucks players have released a statement outside the team locker room ... saying, "Our focus today cannot be on basketball."
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"We're calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand the officer be held accountable."
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The Milwaukee Bucks statement: pic.twitter.com/F7XOPs4NqE
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) August 26, 2020 @malika_andrews
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"For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin State legislature to reconvene after months of inaction and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability, brutality and criminal justice reform."
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4:14 PM PT -- The WNBA is following the NBA's lead ... officially canceling Wednesday night's games.
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Center @E_Williams_1 reads statement on @espn as the representative for all @WNBA players. Tonight's games have been cancelled. pic.twitter.com/xDz4uCQSiD
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) August 26, 2020 @AtlantaDream
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3:47 PM PT -- Bucks ownership released a statement on the boycott ... saying they will stand by their players' decision to sit out.
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"We fully support our players and the decision they made. Although we did not know beforehand, we would have wholeheartedly agreed with them."
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"The only way to bring about change is to shine a light on the racial injustices that are happening in front of us. Our players have done that and we will continue to stand alongside them and demand accountability and change."
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2:08 PM PT -- The NBA says all 3 playoff games scheduled for Wednesday have been postponed, after multiple teams refused to take the court.
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Bucks vs. Magic, Rockets vs. OKC Thunder and Lakers vs. Blazers are officially off ... for now.
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The league says all of the games will be rescheduled to a later date.
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More NBA boycotts might be on the way ... the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder are NOT planning on taking the court for their Game 5 playoff matchup.
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1:47 PM PT -- That game is scheduled to take place at 5:30 CT -- but according to The Athletic, it ain't happening.
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There's also a buzz the Lakers could boycott their Wednesday night playoff game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
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LeBron James just tweeted, "F*CK THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT."
The Milwaukee Bucks are boycotting their playoff game against the Orlando Magic Wednesday ... electing to not take the court in protest after the Jacob Blake shooting.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates did not participate in pre-game warm-ups before their scheduled Game 5 matchup in the NBA bubble ... staying put in the locker room.
Of course, Blake was shot in the back 7 times by a police officer during an incident in Kenosha on Sunday ... about 45 minutes from Milwaukee.
8/23/20
The news was just made official minutes ago -- with the team announcing they will not play on Wednesday at all.
Bucks player George Hill issued a short statement saying, "We’re tired of the killings and the injustice."
Bucks exec Alex Lasry has also weighed in ...
"Some things are bigger than basketball," Lasry said.
"The stand taken today by the players and org. shows that we’re fed up. Enough is enough. Change needs to happen."
"I’m incredibly proud of our guys and we stand 100% behind our players ready to assist and bring about real change."
Obviously, this will have huge ramifications -- the team is reportedly facing millions of dollars in fines for missing the game. But, they clearly feel the social justice statement is worth it.
ESPN's Bobby Marks says the fine could be as high as $5 million if the NBA chooses to enforce it.
Both the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics have also discussed boycotting their playoff game on Thursday.
Unclear if the Bucks' move will embolden them to stay off the court.
Of course, Bucks player Sterling Brown was victim of police brutality back in 2018 when he was tased by cops while outside of a Walgreens in Milwaukee while on a first date.
1/26/18
Cops had accused him of parking in a handicap space ... and things escalated from there.
Video showed officers taking Brown to the ground and tasing him -- despite the fact he never resisted or seemed to pose a threat.
Brown says he was offered a $400,000 settlement in exchange for his silence on the matter -- but he refused, saying, "I can't be quiet."
The police chief later issued an apology to Brown.
Originally Published -- 1:24 PM PT
