THREE games set on Wednesday in Florida (Thursday, Manila time) have been postponed as the Milwaukee Bucks refused to play as a protest against racial injustice.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association made the annoucement, saying the Bucks' Game Five of the first round against the Orlando Magic will not be played on Wednesday.
Also postponed were the games between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers opposite the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Magic arrived at the arena, but the Bucks did not go to the court.
The boycott was apparently a statement by the Bucks after a Black man Jacob Blake was shot seven times on the back by police officers in Wisconsin in front of his children.
Members of the players’ union had reportedly met on Tuesday, although it was unclear whether a plan to boycott games were finalized.
Then the Bucks decided not to take the floor.
"Some things are bigger than basketball," Bucks senior vice-president Alex Lasry said on Twitter.
The Magic later issued a statement saying the organization stands with the Bucks.
"Today we stand united with the NBA Office, the National Basketball Players Association, the Milwaukee Bucks and the rest of the league condemning bigotry, racial injustice and the unwarranted use of violence by police against people of colour," the Magic said.
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