Pretti’s death shocks sportWarriors win saddest game in NBA history
The Golden State Warriors win their NBA game at the Minnesota Timberwolves, it is the hosts’ fifth defeat in a row. But the big topic is grief in Minneapolis. The NBA players no longer want to remain silent.
A day after the fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis, the tense mood in the city also had an impact on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ NBA game against the Golden State Warriors. “This group suffered. The atmosphere in the stands – that was one of the most bizarre, saddest games I’ve ever been a part of,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr after the 111:85 victory of his Warriors led by Stephen Curry, who scored 26 points. “You could feel the oppressive atmosphere. Their team was struggling with what was going on and what this city was going through.”
On Saturday morning, 37-year-old Alex Pretti was killed during an operation by federal immigration officials. In early January, Renee Good also died in the same city when she was shot by an ICE officer. The government speaks of self-defense in both cases. These claims are not supported by reality.
Wolves coach Chris Finch called his team’s performance – their fifth defeat in a row and their lowest points tally in more than four years – “a ghost of a performance”. Even before the duel, he had shown himself to be unusually emotional. “I’m not just a resident. This is my home. I love living here. I love being part of this community. They welcomed me from day one, the people were great. It’s sad to see what’s happening.”
NBA players show solidarity with ICE victims
The game between the teams was actually scheduled for Saturday, but was then postponed by a day for safety reasons, according to the NBA. Finch said the Timberwolves had asked for the cancellation and thanked the Warriors and the league for their support. “Playing basketball just didn’t feel like the right thing to do.” The Timberwolves held a moment of silence before the game began for the slain nurse.
Previously, numerous Minnesota-based franchises from various sports, including the NFL team Minnesota Vikings and the Timberwolves, signed an open letter calling on state, federal and local authorities to cooperate after the fatal shooting. “In light of yesterday’s tragic news, we call for an immediate de-escalation of tensions,” the letter said.
Also on Sunday, the NBA players’ association, the NBPA, released a statement. It said that NBA players “can’t be calm anymore.” They sided with those who had already taken to the streets in gigantic numbers before the deadly shots on Saturday.
“Now more than ever, we must defend the right to free speech and stand in solidarity with the people of Minnesota who are protesting and risking their lives to demand justice,” the NBPA statement said. “The NBA player community, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to allow the flames of division to threaten the civil liberties that are designed to protect us all.”
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