The moment no one wanted to come is upon us. The Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott their game vs. the Orlando Magic for the NBA playoffs following Jacob Blake’s shooting in Wisconsin. Now, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly also boycott their games.
Several NBA players voiced their concerns about this matter earlier in the week, with the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors reportedly discussing skipping their first game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. However, the Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to take a stand, even though the Magic showed up to play.
Needless to say, the news traveled around the world in the blink of an eye, with LeBron James and countless NBA players showing their support for the Bucks’ decision not to leave their locker room today.
NBA Stars Show Support In Favor Of Bucks’ Boycott
Whether the NBA is going to enforce any kind of discipline or penalty for their decision is yet to be seen. They could hand the game to the Orlando Magic because the Bucks decided to forfeit but they can’t punish the Thunder/Rockets or Lakers/Blazers the same way if both teams stay in their locker rooms.
NBA players have had a blunt response to the social issues that concern them since the death of George Floyd and they only agreed to restart the season as long as they could use the league’s platform to spread awareness and share their views.
Now, even though we’re on the verge of the start of the second round of the playoffs, it seems like some players are ready to give up on aseason that looked condemned from the startif that means they can make a difference in their communities. This story isn’t going away any time soon, so stay tuned for what’s about to come.