NBA cancels games again

ORLANDO (Florida) • National Basketball Association (NBA) play-off games were cancelled for a second straight day on Thursday, but the league yesterday said it would soon issue a statement to the public that will deal with matters raised by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Quoting NBA commissioner Adam Silver, an official tweet read: "The discussion centred on how we can best collaborate to address a broad range of issues, including increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for police and criminal justice reform... We are dedicated to driving the sustainable change that is long overdue."

The full statement was not available by press time, but the players have reportedly pledged to return to the court while seeking support from team owners in tackling racial injustice.

While teams yesterday returned to practice, a workout schedule at the Disney World campus indicated a third consecutive day without play-off games.

About 100 NBA employees also walked off the job yesterday in support of the social justice efforts of the players, ESPN reported.

The Milwaukee Bucks-led boycott inside the NBA's Orlando bubble on Wednesday sparked a wave of protests that saw dozens of games called off across an array of sports - basketball, football, baseball, ice hockey and tennis.

Black players, their teammates and supporters demanded action in the face of yet another police shooting of an African-American.

Jacob Blake was shot several times in the back in the Midwestern city of Kenosha on Sunday, leading to nationwide protests and unrest.

The Bucks' boycott, which was joined by their scheduled opponents, the Orlando Magic, prompted the NBA to postpone all three play-off games scheduled for Wednesday and three more slated for Thursday as players from all teams debated whether to continue the season already disrupted by the coronavirus.

Players reportedly agreed on Thursday to continue the play-offs, with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers - who had been in favour of abandoning the season the night before - reportedly "on board" with the decision.

"NBA play-off games for (Thursday) will not be played as scheduled," league executive vice-president Mike Bass said in a statement after an NBA Board of Governors meeting on Thursday. "We're hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday."

ESPN and other US media reported on Thursday that games would most likely resume today, but there was no confirmation by press time.

Players from all 13 teams left in Orlando, along with representatives from the National Basketball Players Association, the league office and NBA Labour Relations Committee chairman and basketball legend Michael Jordan met on Thursday to discuss player concerns.

Details of the meeting were not immediately available, but ESPN said that players pushed for owners to join them in a "direct action plan" to promote voter turnout, police accountability and police reform legislation.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS