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UPDATE: Aug. 28, 12:41 p.m. — The NBA released a statement Friday confirming that games will resume on Saturday.
Joint statement from the NBA and NBPA - games resume tomorrow pic.twitter.com/i7p5FJtyD9
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) August 28, 2020
UPDATE: Aug. 27, 2:28 p.m. — The NBA released a statement hoping to resume the playoffs either Friday or Saturday.
NBA statement on the current state of the NBA playoffs: pic.twitter.com/h7auQknSKi
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) August 27, 2020
After much deliberation over the past two days, the NBA plays have decided to end their protest and resume the 2020 NBA playoffs, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday. The three games scheduled for Thursday have been postponed and the League is discussing when games will resume.
Today's three playoff games will be postponed, source tells ESPN. Discussion underway on when teams will resume play. https://t.co/A2PazNKDhy
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020
The players and League are looking to resume play on Friday, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Woj also added that the playoffs will resume this weekend, at the latest.
Sources: NBA players -- and league -- are aiming to restart games Friday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 27, 2020
The Clippers and Lakers were among teams who wanted to continue the protest while most other teams wanted to resume the season. Apparently LeBron James had a change of heart and he, and others, decided it was in the best interest for them to finish the season, per Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes.
Yahoo Sources: There was a change in position from last night with LeBron James, among others, relaying it was in their best interest to finish out the season.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 27, 2020
The protests were sparked after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As a result of the shooting, the Bucks decided prior to Wednesday’s Game 5 vs. the Orlando Magic that they would not take the court until something was done. Their protest inspired the rest of the teams playing on Wednesday to also sit out in protest, which caused the NBA to postpone all games Wednesday.
There were multiple meetings throughout Wednesday night and Thursday morning in an attempt to resolve the situation. The players have reportedly demanded that the Board of Governors and owners do more to help create change in the nation after plenty of turmoil over the past 6 months with social injustice and police brutality. At this point, we don’t know what the BOG and NBA will do to help further the cause, but it’s clear that the players want to finish the season.
The three games set for Thursday have been canceled, so we won’t have Clippers-Mavericks Game 6, Jazz-Nuggets Game 6 or the start of the second round between the Raptors and Celtics. We’ll keep you updated on when the playoff will resume.