MIAMI (AP) – With words and deeds, several NBA teams showed Wednesday hours after a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump could storm the Capitol and in response to a decision by a Wisconsin district attorney not to charge a police officer who shot a black man last year.
In Miami, the Heat and Boston Celtics released a joint statement saying they were playing “with a heavy heart” in a game where most of the players and coaches knelt to the national anthem. In Milwaukee, the Bucks and Detroit Pistons both took sales on their first possessions – intentionally, with all 10 players kneeling on the field. In Phoenix, the Suns and Toronto Raptors stood in a circle and closed their arms to the American and Canadian national anthems. Many other tributes took place around the NBA.
Earlier in the day at the Capitol, a gang delayed Congress in certifying the results of the November election, paving the way for President-elect Joe Biden to be sworn in later this month.
“It’s an embarrassing and embarrassing day in our country,” said New Orleans coach Stan Van Gundy.
Wednesday’s events came a day after the decision was announced not to press charges against the officer who shot Jacob Blake last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake’s shooting was one of many problems that players focused on last season in the NBA reboot bubble, where the issues of racial injustice and police brutality were a constant focus..
The Heat-Celtics joint statement said, among other things, “2021 is a new year, but some things haven’t changed. We play tonight’s game with a heavy heart after yesterday’s decision in Kenosha, and knowing that protesters in our country’s capital are treated differently by political leaders depending on which side of certain issues they are on. “
The Celtics discussed Blake’s decision earlier in the day, before the events of the Capitol unfolded. The Celtics then met again as a team after arriving at the Miami arena, discussing options, and coach Brad Stevens even called his wife to say he didn’t think his team would do the talking.
Boston eventually chose to play, beating Miami 107-105.
“They have acted in an attitude at all costs,” Stevens said of the Trump administration. “I don’t know, our sports world is of course a lot less important. But I’ve always thought that if you operated with an attitude at all costs, it would be a pretty unsatisfying ending. And in this situation a shameful ending. So I’m looking forward to in two weeks, as I know a lot of other people are too. “
Biden will be inaugurated two weeks from Wednesday, January 20.
It was unclear whether any of the teams who knelt would be penalized. For decades, the NBA had the rule that players and coaches had to stand for the national anthem. That rule was relaxed last year when the season resumed in the bubble at Walt Disney World.
The Bucks won the opening step of their game, and instead of playing a two-time reigning NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo just kept the ball while all the players knelt. That resulted in a turnover, as did the subsequent Detroit possession when Blake Griffin held onto the ball and players took another knee. The Bucks said they held the ball for 7 seconds after the game to represent the seven times Blake was shot.
“We want to do things to change, be on the right side of the fight, keep fighting, in no way, shape or form distracted or slowed down or moved in the wrong direction,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. “We have to keep moving forward in all ways, in all shapes and sizes.”
Meanwhile, a college men’s basketball game to be played in Washington on Wednesday night was postponed after a city curfew was imposed. in response to the mob’s actions in the Capitol. The Atlantic 10 Conference game between George Washington and UMass will be moved through the league.
Another Washington team, Georgetown, took a knee for the national anthem before facing Butler in Indianapolis. “I am sad,” said Hoyas coach Patrick Ewing in response to the day’s events.
There were eleven games on Wednesday’s NBA schedule. They were all played.
“It feels a bit strange to play a game tonight, to be honest,” said Charlotte coach James Borrego before his club played in Atlanta.
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, who is Black, spoke of the big difference between rallies across America last summer that often included violent skirmishes between protesters and police and what he saw at the Capitol on Wednesday.
“The symbolism of storming the Capitol without them doing violence, if you’re a black American, it definitely affects you in a different way,” Rivers said. ‘This isn’t a black thing. This is an American thing. “
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AP Sports Writers Steve Megargee in Milwaukee, Brett Martel in New Orleans, Howard Fendrich in Washington, Dan Gelston in Philadelphia and Charles Odum in Atlanta, and AP freelancer John Denton in Orlando, Florida contributed to this report.
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