After the Bucks reportedly decided to boycott Game 5 of their first-round series with the Magic in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wis., the NBA announced all three of Wednesday's playoff games have been postponed and will be rescheduled.
Here is the league's full statement:
"The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association today announced that in light of the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to not take the floor 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 vs. Portland Trail Blazers — have been postponed. Game 5 of each series will be rescheduled."
Wednesday's game between the Bucks and Magic was set to begin at 4 p.m. ET, but Milwaukee players never emerged from the locker room for pregame warmups. Orlando players took the floor at the usual time for warmups, but they returned to their locker room once it became clear that the Bucks did not intend to play.
The Bucks still haven't come out to the court for Game 5 and the Magic have left the court. pic.twitter.com/tA6pSaXGsM
— ESPN (@espn) August 26, 2020
Clock is at 0:00 —- Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks are not on the court. pic.twitter.com/qAjoXDWCom
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 26, 2020
MORE: Doc Rivers delivers impassioned call for justice
Game balls were removed from the court at approximately 4:20 p.m. ET.
Game balls are being put away, as the Bucks decide to boycott game 5 against the Magic. pic.twitter.com/Cy32q2CJH7
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) August 26, 2020
A video released Sunday night showed Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, being shot multiple times in the back by police officers as he attempted to get into his SUV. Blake's three children, ages 3, 5 and 8, were reportedly inside the vehicle. Blake family attorney Ben Crump said Blake is paralyzed and it would "take a miracle" for him to walk again.
"We're tired of the killings and the injustice," Bucks guard George Hill told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
While inside the locker room, Milwaukee players were attempting to reach Josh Kaul, the attorney general of Wisconsin, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Bucks players are in locker room attempting to reach the attorney general of Wisconsin, Josh Kaul, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Magic players are leaving the arena soon -- not accepting the Bucks‘ forfeit.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 26, 2020
The Bucks' three principal team owners — Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan — released a joint statement Wednesday night saying they "fully support" the players' decision.
"Although we did not know beforehand, we would have wholeheartedly agreed with them," they wrote. "The only way to bring about change is to shine a light on the racial injustices that are happening in front of us. Our players have done that and we will continue to stand alongside them and demand accountability and change."
NBA players will hold a meeting Wednesday night to discuss their next steps following the boycott, per multiple reports.
