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Bam Adebayo # 13 of the Miami Heat celebrates a fourth quarter game with head coach Erik Spoelstra against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the American Airlines Arena on January 4, 2021 at the American Airlines Arena.
When President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and somehow made it into the chambers of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, NBA fans wondered if Wednesday’s game was going as planned continues.
In the US Capitol, a woman was fatally shot in the neck, police officers injured, reports of suspicious packages, while Vice President Mike Pence and numerous members of Congress had to be brought to safety. It’s an absolutely devastating scene in Washington and it’s debatable whether or not NBA athletes want to play amid the national siege.
You have to wonder whether today’s events in DC are having any impact on the NBA games to be played tonight. https://t.co/uqNKnRxuDO
As of 5:15 p.m. ET, the NBA has made no announcement regarding any of the games scheduled for today. Just before 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted: « After today’s riots and attacks on democracy in Washington, there was no formal discussion between the NBA and NBPA over postponing any of the league’s eleven games tonight, « sources told ESPN. The Washington Wizards play against the 76ers in Philadelphia. “
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra » can’t believe « what he sees in Washington. Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweeted, « Erik Spoelstra on today’s events in Washington: » Really disturbing images. … We haven’t officially talked about it as a group, but everyone is talking about it. The television is switched on in the classroom and in all of the trainer’s offices. We just can’t believe what we’re seeing. «
GettyKawhi Leonard # 2 of the LA Clippers dribbles past Lonnie Walker IV # 1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of a game at the Staples Center on January 5, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
GettyA – Employees remove towels from the empty bench at Milwaukee Bucks after the Bucks suspend the fifth game of the Eastern Conference first round in protest during the 2020 NBA Playoffs against Orlando Magic.
On August 26, the line between sports blurred and politics during the 2019-2020 NBA playoffs after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to play Game 5 against the Orlando Magic, and after Jacob Blake was shot dead in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Bucks players released a statement saying they were couldn’t focus on basketball due to the events in Kenosha.
Kenosha is about 40 miles south of Milwaukee and Blake’s death sparked days of protest nd three games scheduled for August 27. In response, President Trump slammed the NBA during a briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency about Hurricane Laura. « They’ve become like a political organization, and that’s not a good thing. I don’t think that’s good for the sport or the country, » he said.
GettyLeBron James # 23 and Anthony Davis # 3 of the Los Angeles Lakers in a Black Lives Matter shirt kneel with their teammates during the national anthem before the game against the LA Clippers on July 30, 2020.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also stabbed the NBA during an interview with CNBC « NBA players are very fortunate to have the financial position to take a night off without having to face the financial consequences for themselves, » said Kushner.
Kushner referred to the Black Lives Matter jerseys that players wore when the NBA resumed its season after the coronavirus pandemic was suspended, criticizing players for « making lots of slogans » rather than « actual actions ».
Ref: https://heavy.com
