NBA suspends playoff games as players boycott over Jacob Blake shooting

The NBA has decided to suspend and reschedule its playoff games slated for Thursday night following the boycott of several players to protest another unlawful shooting of a black American in Wisconsin.

The movement was led by the Milwaukee Bucks, a city in Wisconsin, when they decided to boycott their 4 p.m. (ET) Game 5 battle against the Orlando Magic. Several teams and players followed suit.

Statement from @NBA_Coaches Association: The NBA coaches support our players 100 percent. The restart happened largely because of the platform it provided. The baseless shootings of Jacob Blake and other black men and women by law enforcement underscores the need for action…

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 26, 2020

 

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, whose series is tied at 2-2, decided not to push through with Game 5.

Later, the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers also decided to postpone their upcoming Game 5 affair.

Earlier in the week, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet and Boston Celtics wing man Marcus Smart were both exploring boycotting crucial playoff games to focus on social justice issues.

Roger Blake, a black American, was shot 7 times by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Video showed that Blake was only trying to break up a fight. He then approached his vehicle, and the police followed him, and questionably shot him in the back from point blank.

Blake fortunately survived, and is in stable condition as of posting time.

When the NBA decided to restart the season, key players also sat out to continue protesting police brutality. The league gave players the freedom to put statements on their jerseys in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Within Bucks, there's sentiment that team wants to continue playing here, sources tell ESPN. The team's statement about it "imperative for the Wisconsin state legislature to reconvene after months of inaction…" was an important element of action that players want to influence.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 26, 2020

With another incident leading to protests, the league suspending its games reflects their support for the movement.

But the NBA will also have to come up with immediate plans on how the season will continue.