Portland Trail Blazers Join Other NBA Teams in a Strike Protesting the Police Shooting of Jacob Blake, Will Not Play Tonight

The Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to announce they would not play today and others followed suit.

The Portland Trail Blazers kneel for the National Anthem prior to a game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round One, Game One of the NBA Playoffs on August 18, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at The Field House. IMAGE: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images.
By Matthew Singer

The Portland Trail Blazers have joined other NBA players in refusing to play their scheduled playoff game tonight in protest of the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin.

The Blazers were scheduled to play the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of their first round series tonight. Both teams, however, have decided to essentially go on a wildcat strike rather than play the game, following the lead of other teams earlier in the day.

On Sunday, 29-year-old Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a police officer in Kenosha, Wis., leaving him paralyzed and leading to protests in the city. Last night, a 17-year-old opened fire on protesters, killing two.

The Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to announce they would not play today against the Orlando Magic.

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder followed suit, then shortly after, the Lakers and Blazers.

Respect: Now more than ever, we're grateful to Damian Lillard.

The NBA tweeted that games—which are being held entirely on the campus of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.—will be rescheduled. But it's not clear if that will happen: The players surprised the league with this decision and are meeting tonight to decide whether to expand the strike.

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