Utah Jazz release statement regarding boycott of NBA playoff games

SALT LAKE CITY  – Following the boycott of three NBA playoff games in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Utah Jazz and the Miller family released the following statement:

“We support and join with the National Basketball Association, its teams, the players and the Utah Jazz in condemning social injustice and violence against Black people. Our family and organization remain fully committed to and focused on building a country that is equitable, just and safe. We also echo Jacob Blake’s mother’s plea to ‘use our hearts, our love and our intelligence to work together to show the rest of the world how humans are supposed to treat each other.’”

All three Game 5’s of in the Milwaukee-Orlando, Houston-Oklahoma City and Portland-L.A. Lakers series were postponed.

Hours before the three NBA games were postponed, the Jazz made comments about the need for social justice and the purveyance of systemic racism.

“The point of us coming down here was to create change and I feel like we’re doing a good job of that,” said Donovan Mitchell. “But, it’s obviously not good enough. It’s not going to happen overnight, but this is disgusting. This is bigger that just the game, not taking anything away from the game but this is life and our voices that we use down here. I think it’s very important for us to use our voice, and its inexcusable so see stuff like that.”

“We haven’t had any conversations in terms of sitting out a game and stuff like that,” said Jordan Clarkson. “But that’s their choice and a way of sending out a message to the world. People and I feel like we should go along with it and we definitely support them, and we got their back no matter what.”

“It’s really something that bothers all of us,” added Rudy Gobert. “I like the way guys have been spreading the messages they want to spread.”

The status of Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in the Jazz-Denver series is still up in the air. The NBA Board of Governors will hold a meeting Thursday at 11:00 a.m. mountain time.