All three NBA playoff games scheduled for Wednesday were postponed after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the floor against the Magic in Game 5 of their first-round series in protest of the recent police shooting of an unarmed black man in Wisconsin.
The Bucks, who play approximately 40 miles from Kenosha, where Jacob Blake was shot in the back at point-blank range by police officers in view of his children Sunday, decided to boycott the game, Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN reported.
The surreal scene unfolded on the telecast, where Game 5 of the best-of-seven series was set to air to a national audience. Instead, viewers saw an entirely empty court, while NBA TV announcers initially appeared uncertain whether the players would eventually emerge from their locker rooms.
Not long after, the NBA postponed the Bucks-Magic, Rockets-Thunder and Lakers-Blazers games amid a growing belief that the other teams would choose to boycott their contests as well. Each was a Game 5, but details on when they would be rescheduled weren't immediately released.
The Celtics and Raptors were also considering a boycott or protest of the first game of their upcoming series Thursday, according to reports.
What happens next is unknown. The wave of players deciding to boycott caught owners and front offices around the NBA off guard, Wojnarowski reported, and players are planning to meet Wednesday night at their hotel inside the bubble to discuss the boycott and the next steps.
One veteran player told Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix that the season is in jeopardy.
Earlier this week, Milwaukee guard George Hill suggested the NBA restart was a mistake when he was asked what more players can do to help achieve justice for victims of police violence and systemic racism.
This is a developing story