The Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott tonight's playoff game against the Orlando Magic to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake by members of the Kinosha, Wisconsin police department earlier this week, setting off a domino effect of boycotts that has brought the NBA playoffs to a halt
Soon after the Bucks announced their boycott, it was announced that the Oklahoma Thunder and Houston Rockets would be boycotting their playoff game tonight. Soon after that, the NBA announced none of its games tonight would be going ahead.
Blake was multiple times in the back in front of his children and is said to be paralysed from the waist down.
Jacob's sister spoke passionately about the appalling injustice of this shooting yesterday.
Jacob Blake’s sister *did* that. pic.twitter.com/TpEEWOI073
— Arlan 👊🏾 Free Brittney Griner (@ArlanWasHere) August 26, 2020
The Bucks are the number one seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference and are 3-1 up in their first round series against the Orlando Magic.
"Another black man was shot by a police officer," said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said during the week.. "An incident like this is more important than anything we are doing in Orlando."
Here's how it happened in real time:
👏👏👏 for the Bucks pic.twitter.com/ITzvOyybw7
— Colin Jones (@colinjones) August 26, 2020
Technically the Bucks would have to forfeit the game but the Magic have not accepted the forfeit.
NBA players tweeted their anger about another police shooting ahead of the planned game.
FUCK THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 26, 2020
WE DEMAND CHANGE! SALUTE @Bucks ✊🏾🙏🏾🗣
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) August 26, 2020
WE DEMAND CHANGE! WE DEMAND JUSTICE!
— Grant Williams (@Grant2Will) August 26, 2020
I've been calling what the Milwaukee Bucks are doing a "boycott." I'm now convinced that the proper terminology is "strike". It's a strike for racial justice.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) August 26, 2020
