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Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson told reporters Monday that fans should boycott Game 5 between the Los Angeles Clippers and his Golden State Warriors at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and that the players should not be expected to boycott the game.
"If it was me, I wouldn't come to the game," Jackson said Monday. "I believe as fans, the loudest statement they could make as far as fans is to not show up to the game."
Jackson was quick to point out that his advice doesn't apply just to Clippers supporters but to Warriors fans as well.
"As an African-American man that's a fan of the game of basketball and knows its history and knows what's right and what's wrong, I would not come to the game tomorrow, whether I was a Clipper fan or a Warrior fan," he said.
Jackson said there is a clear line between how fans and players should handle the situation.
"Should the Clippers boycott? They're getting paid to play," Jackson said. "They've got families and bills. This is their job. This is their livelihood. They dreamt their whole life for it. Same thing with us.
"But it's different for me to pay to come see it."
via Mark Jackson of Golden State Warriors says fans should boycott Game 5 - ESPN Los Angeles.
The comments come in the wake of public outcry over comments released first to TMZ and then Deadspin over the weekend from a recorded conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend.
Adam Silver said over the weekend that the league intends to find a resolution before Game 5. The league has announced a press conference set for Tuesday to issue its ruling on the matter. It's not known whether the NBA is ready to issue punishment in the event Sterling is identified as the person on the tape.
The outrage over the comments grew like wildfire after the recording was first leaked Friday. Players from all across the league, current and former, spoke out against it. Kevin Johnson met with Silver on Sunday to represent the players' union. Sponsors began pulling their support from the Clippers Monday morning. The Clippers players reportedly considered boycotting Game 4, and they staged a silent protest on Sunday before Game 4 by turning their warmups inside out.
Game 5 is set for Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET.
