The NBA resumed its playoff schedule in the bubble Saturday after a three-day player strike to protest police brutality in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
A three-game slate tipped off with the rescheduled Bucks-Magic matchup that initiated the player walkout when Bucks players refused to take the court on Thursday.
Saturday’s schedule/results
Milwaukee Bucks 118, Orlando Magic 104 (Bucks win series, 4-1)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets, 6:30 p.m. ET (Series is tied, 2-2)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 9 p.m. ET (Lakers lead, 3-1)
Bucks fend off Magic rally to advance
The Orlando Magic didn’t quit when they trailed by 21 points in an elimination game.
But a furious fourth-quarter rally fell short as the Milwaukee Bucks secured a 118-104 victory Saturday as NBA play resumed in the bubble. With the win, the Bucks secured the series 4-1 to advance to an Eastern Conference semifinals matchup against the Miami Heat.
First game back from NBA player strike
The game was the first in the NBA since a three-day player strike initiated by the Bucks to protest police brutality in the aftermath of the Jacob Blake shooting by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Players agreed to return to the court after internal discussions and an agreement from owners to advance social justice causes.
The Bucks looked well on their way to an easy win while taking a 76-55 lead in the third quarter. But the Magic cut their deficit to 96-93 midway through the fourth quarter as Giannis Antetokounmpo sat on the bench with five fouls.
Milwaukee called timeout after an Evan Fournier 3-pointer cut its lead to three. Antetokounmpo did not rejoin lineup after the break at 7:37, but the Bucks were able to extend their lead back to double digits thanks in part to a pair of Marvin Williams 3-pointers.
Giannis addresses player protest
Antetokounmpo returned later in the quarter as the Bucks secured the win. The newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year and presumptive league MVP led all players with 28 points and 17 rebounds while hitting 3-of-6 3-point attempts.
He spoke with ESPN about the player protest in a postgame interview.
“We made a powerful move — decided not to play, decided to bring awareness,” Antetokounmpo said. “Just seeing other athletes around the world, other leagues doing the same thing. It says a lot about us, it says a lot about our league that gives us a platform to speak up.”
Miami and Milwaukee will meet for Game 1 of their series on Monday.
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