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Report: NBA aiming to restart games on Friday

NBA: Playoffs-Orlando Magic at Milwaukee Bucks
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

After boycotting games on Wednesday night in an attempt to speak out against social injustices plaguing Black Americans in the United States, NBA players are aiming to resume play within the Orlando bubble on Friday, as first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic, which was then followed up by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers, following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin by Kenosha police.

All games on Thursday, including Nuggets vs. Jazz, Celtics vs. Raptors, and Clippers vs. Mavericks are still postponed.

Charania added that “there was some frustration” toward the Bucks, who blindsided the rest of the league by walking out of their Wednesday-night game. Point guard George Hill revealed that it was a conversation that happened just before game time, which didn’t give Milwaukee much time to organize and alert the rest of the teams.

The decision to resume play Friday followed a meeting on Thursday morning where the players came to an agreement to resume play while finding new and improved ways to make social justice statements.

It was not a unanimous decision, however. Both the Clippers and Lakers voted to boycott the rest of the season while the rest of the remaining teams wanted to continue playing.