If Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors is postponed, it's for good reason.
According to ESPN's Marc J. Spears, the Celtics and Raptors have discussed the possibility of boycotting Game 1 following the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers in Wisconsin.
Raptors & Celtics players met last night at their hotel about possibly boycotting tomorrow Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and other potential measures in light of the Jacob Blake shooting, a source told @TheUndefeated. Source from both teams says everything on table.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) August 26, 2020
Blake, an unarmed Black man, was shot seven times by police officers in Kenosha, Wisc., on Sunday and now is paralyzed. Blake was trying to enter his vehicle after breaking up a fight between two women when he was shot as he entered the driver's side door. His young children were in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
The focal point of the resumption of the NBA season in Orlando has been on the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against racial inequality. Since being in Orlando, many players have used their media availability as an opportunity to address racial inequality in America and bring awareness to the shootings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among others.
Players have been allowed to wear names of social justice causes on their jerseys and kneel during the national anthem to peacefully protest police brutality and racial inequality. The NBA also has painted "Black Lives Matter" on the courts in Orlando to bring more awareness to the cause.
The Celtics and Raptors are expected to meet once again on Wednesday night to further discuss the possibility of boycotting Game 1, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
While the league's efforts have been promising, they haven't necessarily accomplished what many NBA players desired before the season resumed. Spears adds that Raptors head coach Nick Nurse has heard a couple of players talk about heading home following the shooting of Blake to truly send the message that things need to change.
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