Report: NBA season is ‘up in the air’ after players’ meeting
The NBA season is “up in the air” after the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers took a stance against concluding the playoffs, according to
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020" target="_blank"> ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.Players held a meeting in the NBA bubble on Wednesday, per multiple
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020" target="_blank"> reports, after deciding to strike and not play that night’s scheduled postseason games.The Milwaukee Bucks chose not to play Game 5 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. Bucks players are calling for justice in the case of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was shot seven times in the back by police Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and is paralyzed from the waist down. They’re also demanding that the Wisconsin state legislature reconvene and “address issues of police accountability, brutality and criminal justice reform.”
Full statement from the Milwaukee Bucks: pic.twitter.com/jjGEyVcCmB
Full statement from the Milwaukee Bucks: pic.twitter.com/jjGEyVcCmB
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 26, 2020
WNBA players chose not to play Wednesday night, as well.
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)
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
Players opted against playing three scheduled MLB games and five scheduled MLS games.
Lakers star LeBron James said in Wednesday night’s meeting that he wants owners to be more involved and take action, per
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 27, 2020" target="_blank">The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Both a Board of Governors meeting and another players’ meeting are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday, according to multipleThe meeting is 11 AM -- coinciding with the timing of the NBA's Board of Governors call, per sources. https://t.co/U8NnY4QMPb
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020" target="_blank">reports. Wojnarowski reports it’sDiscussions on continuing season will extend into tomorrow, sources tell ESPN, but appears unlikely the three playoff games on Thursday will be played. "Everyone is still too emotional," one high-ranking source tells ESPN. "There needs to be more time to come together on this."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020" target="_blank">“unlikely” Thursday’s postseason games will be played,Racial injustice and police brutality were issues NBA players said they hoped to draw attention to leading into the league’s restart during the coronavirus pandemic. Some had concerns that returning to play would detract from nationwide protests following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others killed by police, and remove focus from important areas.
The Sixers’ season ended Sunday when they were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Tobias Harris, Mike Scott, Josh Richardson and Ben Simmons were among the players who discussed racial injustice with reporters. Harris and Scott pushed Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron to arrest the officers involved in the killing of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman. The three officers, Brett Hankison, Jon Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, have not been arrested.
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