PHOTO: A look at the Rockets’ defeat to the Thunder in Game 4
Houston Rockets players kneel during the national anthem prior to Game 4 of a NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Monday, Aug.24, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Kevin C. Cox / Pool photo via AP)
Less
PHOTO: A look at the Rockets’ defeat to the Thunder in Game 4
Houston Rockets players kneel during the national anthem prior to Game 4 of a NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the
… More
Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Associated Press
PHOTO: A look at the Rockets’ defeat to the Thunder in Game 4
Houston Rockets players kneel during the national anthem prior to Game 4 of a NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Monday, Aug.24, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Kevin C. Cox / Pool photo via AP)
Less
PHOTO: A look at the Rockets’ defeat to the Thunder in Game 4
Houston Rockets players kneel during the national anthem prior to Game 4 of a NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the
… More
Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Associated Press
Shortly after the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their playoff game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, the Rockets-Thunder and Lakers-Blazers games were also canceled.
NBA TV had a video of a handful of Thunder players filming on the pitch early about two hours before the game when a Thunder player walked into the pitch to talk to them, then left the pitch together. NBATV also had a video of Russell Westbrook of the Rockets and Chris Paul of the Thunder leaving what appeared to be a meeting between the two team leaders.
FIRST BOYCOTT: The Milwaukee Bucks decide to skip the playoff game on Wednesday afternoon
“The NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced today that in light of the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision not to speak today for Game 5 against the Orlando Magic, today’s three games – Bucks vs Magic, Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers v Portland Trail Blazers – have been postponed. Game 5 of each series will be rescheduled, “an NBA statement read.
Rockets and Thunder players were already debating boycotting the game, as were the Blazers and Lakers, when the NBA and NBA Players Association decided to postpone the full-day schedule.
Jacob Blake, a black man, was shot seven times in the back by police on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisc., About 40 miles south of Milwaukee, as he attempted to get into his vehicle where his three children were.
Dollar guard George Hill said Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated that they weren’t playing because “we are tired of the killings and injustices”. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, whose team is scheduled to play Jazz on Thursday, tweeted: “WE ASK FOR JUSTICE !!!” LeBron James of the Lakers, who is expected to play the Blazers on Wednesday night, tweeted: “F — this, man. We demand a change. Sick of it.”
On Tuesday, Rockets striker Robert Covington expressed his despair that players are unable to influence change from within the NBA bubble.
“We are doing all of this to really bring awareness and not too much has been done,” Covington said. “Every day we fear going out to friends and family, you never know you might get a phone call that someone close to you might not be able to see the next day.
“It’s scary… having that feeling growing in this world right now. There’s nothing to do. They haven’t done anything yet for (Breonna Taylor) and the cops who killed her. We have been supporters of this for the longest time. It’s just that people aren’t taking the initiative, they’re not taking the approach they should. “
Atletico This was reported by Shams Charania “The NBA players have called a meeting tonight in Orlando to determine the next steps.”
