This game is unavailable

A historic moment.

Aug 27, 2020

Good morning. I hope those of you in the path or wake of Hurricane Laura are safe.

We’re going to do today’s newsletter a little out of order.

Scores

NBA

Magic X, Bucks X —

NBA on TNT @NBAonTNT

George Hill & Sterling Brown read the @Bucks full statement on their decision to boycott today's playoff game.

Thunder X, Rockets X —

Chris Montano @gswchris

Kenny Smith just walked out on NBA on TNT in support of the players' boycott

Blazers X, Lakers X —

Italo Santana @BulletClubIta

Chris Webber

Jemele Hill @jemelehill

I know so many black fathers who feel exactly like Robert Horry

WNBA

Mystics X, Dream X —

Atlanta Dream @AtlantaDream

Center @E_Williams_1 reads statement on @espn as the representative for all @WNBA players. Tonight's games have been cancelled.

Lindsay Gibbs @linzsports

The Mystics are arriving to the game in shirts that spell out Jacob Blake, and it appears on the back there are red marks to signify the 7 bullet holes that Milwaukee police shot into his back. https://t.co/VvR2k5tEu4

Washington Mystics @WashMystics

https://t.co/jh62COAebk

Holly Rowe @sportsiren

After games were boycotted Wednesday night, the entire @WNBA bubble organized and participated in a candlelight vigil. People were encouraged to speak their heart. They are in this together.

Sparks X, Lynx X —

Los Angeles Sparks @LASparks

“We’re trying to also figure out what actionable items can come out of this because we stand in solidarity with our brethren.” - @Nnemkadi30 on the boycotting of today's contest.

Sun X, Mercury X —

Washington Mystics @WashMystics

"We're not just basketball players. We're so much more than that." Ariel Atkins with a powerful statement on the unified decision to not play tonight. #BlackLivesMatter

Schedule

NBA and WNBA Players’ Meetings, Ongoing

After players from both leagues, led by the players of the Milwaukee Bucks, refused to play scheduled games on Wednesday in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisc., there was a heated meeting involving NBA players. Reports suggest that Lakers and Clippers players expressed their desire to end the season right here and now. Other players reportedly argued in favor of trying to continue to play.

gifdsports @gifdsports

Jaylen Brown reportedly challenged players who want to leave bubble and go home "If you leave, are you going to leave and hang out with your families?are you going to be in the trenches, are you going to be in the streets? (via @MarcJSpears )

Reports suggest discussions will continue early Thursday as players determine their collective or individual courses of action. While there is less reporting on the matter, one imagines WNBA players will similarly continue to discuss their path forward in or out of Bradenton.

NBA Referees Protest March, 9 a.m. ET

God love the referees, who are staging a protest march around Coronado Springs.

NBA Referees @OfficialNBARefs

Please stand with us at 9 ET this morning as we march against racism and grieve for the black lives taken too soon. Join us as we unite in the bubble, and around the world, to fight injustice and police brutality. #EverybodyvsRacism @NBA @TheNBPA

Seriously: legitimate respect to these folks.

Emergency NBA Board of Governors Meeting, 11 a.m. ET

The NBA Board of Governors will reportedly convene Thursday morning to discuss next steps. Several teams made official statements regarding the players’ decision to refuse to play on Wednesday, all positive but none offering any new concrete actions THEY WILL TAKE on social justice. A relevant example from the 11th richest person in the world:

LA Clippers @LAClippers

A statement from @Steven_Ballmer.

One would hope the 30 powerful business titans who are partners in this $8 billion industry can come up with a little more than a statement. We’ll see soon enough.

Two NBA Game 6s, An NBA Conference Semi Game 1 and Three WNBA Games

No one could possibly expect anyone to play on Thursday, right? Right. Everything is extremely fluid, but one expects at least an indication of whether or not the seasons will continue or be suspended indefinitely by the end of Thursday.

The protest has spread to other sports beyond pro basketball. Multiple baseball teams refused to play, including the Milwaukee Brewers. Naomi Osaka announced she would not play in the semifinals of a WTA tour event on Thursday; the ATP and WTA later canceled all of Thursday’s matches.

This is a historic moment. Whatever happens next will not change the fact that the best basketball players in America, men and women, joined together to protest police violence and the lack of progress toward ending it by refusing to play. This is a historic moment.