NBA Playoff Games Postponed In Protest

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Published on August 27 2020 6:28 am
Last Updated on August 27 2020 6:28 am

The three first-round National Basketball Association playoffs games that were supposed to be played Wednesday were postponed when the players decided to sit them out in protest over racial injustice, their action coming the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The protest was begun by the Milwaukee Bucks, who refused to come out of the locker room for their game against the Orlando Magic. Bucks players Sterling Brown and George Hill read a statement on behalf of the team, saying, “There has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball.” 
After news spread about the National Basketball Association players sitting out their playoff games Wednesday in protest of racial injustice, some players in other sports followed as well.

All three scheduled Women's National Basketball Association games were postponed, three Major League Baseball games were called off, and five Major League Soccer matches were cancelled because players decided they would boycott them. 

 

Pacers Fire Head Coach

The Indiana Pacers fired head coach Nate McMillan Wednesday, two days after the team was swept by the Miami Heat, the second year in a row they've been swept in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
The unexpected news came just two weeks after it was announced that McMillan had been given a one-year contract extension. McMillan was head coach of the Pacers for four seasons. 


NBA Western Conference First Round

(All Times Central)

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers

Game 5: Wed, Aug 26 Portland at Los Angeles, postponed

Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Los Angeles at Portland, TBD, TBD

Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Portland at Los Angeles, TBD, TBD 

(2) LA Clippers vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

Game 6: Thu, Aug 27 LA at Dallas, 8 p.m., ESPN

Game 7*: Sat, Aug 29 Dallas at LA, TBD, TNT 

(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Utah Jazz

Game 6*: Thu, Aug 27 Denver at Utah, 3 p.m., ESPN

Game 7*: Sat, Aug 29 Utah at Denver, TBD, TNT 

(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Oklahoma City Thunder

Game 5: Wed, Aug 26 Oklahoma City at Houston, postponed

Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD

Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD​​​​​​ 

2020 NBA Eastern Conference First Round

(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Orlando Magic

Game 5: Wed, Aug 26 Orlando at Milwaukee, postponed

Game 6*: Fri, Aug 28 Milwaukee at Orlando, TBD, TBD

Game 7*: Sun, Aug 30 Orlando at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD 

(2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets 

Game 1:  Raptors 134, Nets 110

Game 2:  Raptors 104, Nets 99

Game 3: Raptors 117, Nets 92

Game 4: Raptors 150, Nets 122

(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers

Game 1:  Celtics 109, 76ers 101

Game 2:  Celtics 128, 76ers 101

Game 3: Celtics 102, 76ers 94

Game 4: Celtics 110, 76ers 106 

(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Miami Heat

Game 1 -- Heat 113, Pacers 101

Game 2 -- Heat 109, Pacers 100

Game 3 -- Heat 124, Pacers 115

Game 4 -- Heat 99, Pacers 87