The NBA announced the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers will play a rescheduled Game 5 on Saturday at 6 p.m. PT, with Spectrum SportsNet and TNT both televising the first-round matchup. It had been postponed since Wednesday, when the NBA witnessed a monumental moment.
The Milwaukee Bucks began what became league-wide boycott of playoff games on Wednesday and Thursday, leading to meetings amongst players
The boycott came after an officer with the Kenosha Police Department in Wisconsin shot an unarmed African American man named Jacob Blake in the back seven times. The Bucks felt as though the players’ messaging was not making a difference and opted for a statement that would undoubtedly be heard.
In the aftermath of this decision, NBA players voiced frustration in a number of ways. Some were questioning their decision to join the bubble in the first place, leading to a discussion over whether or not to even continue the postseason.
Others felt their platform was still bigger in the bubble than outside of it, and future financial losses from canceling the entire postseason would be devastating. All of this led to a consensus that play would resume on Saturday, with three commitments being made by the league.
NBA teams who own and operate their own arenas will be turning them into voting locations for this year’s election. In addition, advertisements making specific calls to action will air for the remainder of the playoffs.
This — along with a social justice coalition — will hopefully help to bring real change in communities affected by racial and social injustice.
As for the game, the Lakers will look to close out their series against the Trail Blazers as they currently hold a 3-1 lead. After losing Game 1, the Lakers have taken over, dominating the Trail Blazers on both ends of the floor en route to three straight wins.
With a win on Saturday, the Lakers would move to the second round for the first time since 2013.
Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will miss Game 5 after leaving bubble
Lillard has been instrumental in the Trail Blazers even making it to the postseason. However, after dislocating his finger and then spraining his knee in back-to-back games, Lillard left the bubble in order to undergo further examination of the knee.
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