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Orlando Magic v Milwaukee Bucks - Game Five

Source: Kevin C. Cox / Getty

The Milwaukee Bucks have decided to boycott game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal game against Orlando Magic. The news was first reported by ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The decision was made in the wake of the death of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man who is now paralyzed after he was shot seven times by Kenosha Police on August 23rd.

The Bucks are no stranger to issues with police. In 2018, Milwaukee Police used a taser to arrest Bucks guard Sterling Brown over a parking violation. After a bodycam showed the incident in full, officers involved received what people would perceive as a weak punishment which included a fifteen-day suspension and will have an employee improvement plan implemented.

The Bucks stood as a team on Wednesday following their strike and spoke to the media, saying while they represent the state of Wisconsin and the city of Milwaukee on the basketball court, their focus could not be on basketball in light of the Blake shooting as well as the shooting of two protesters on Tuesday.

“When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable,” the statement reads. “We hold ourselves to that standard, and in this moment, we are demanding the same from our lawmakers and law enforcement.

“Over the last few days in our home state of Wisconsin, we’ve seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha, and the additional shooting of protestors. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action.”

The statement concludes, “We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand the officers be held accountable. For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin State Legislature to reconvene after months of inaction and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability, brutality and criminal justice reform. We encourage all citizens to educate themselves, take peaceful and responsible action, and remember to vote on Nov. 3.”

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder have also decided to boycott their game on Wednesday

The Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers have scheduled Wednesday night No word on if those teams will boycott as of yet, however, Lebron James took to Twitter to speak out.

 

RELATED: White Teen Suspected In Kenosha Protest Shooting Arrested On Murder Charges

RELATED: Milwaukee Victim-Shames Sterling Brown After NBA Player’s Violent Arrest For Parking Violation

RELATED: Jacob Blake Protest Shooter Is Reportedly A White Teen Affiliated With Cops

 

NBA Teams Boycott Wednesday Playoff Games After Jacob Blake Shooting  was originally published on woldcnews.com