Celtics' Brad Stevens 'Didn't Think We Were Playing' Heat Amid Unrest

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said Wednesday the team's game against the Miami Heat nearly wasn't played amid the unrest in Washington, D.C.

According to Mark Medina of USA Today, Stevens said: "To be honest, at 30 minutes [before tip], I didn't think we were playing. Then coaches left the room, and players talked and chose to play. If our guys chose not to play tonight, they had the full support of my staff, myself and our organization."

The Celtics gave their players the choice regarding whether they wanted to play given the landscape in Washington. A mob supporting President Donald Trump breached the U.S. Capitol in the city while Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election was being confirmed.

Players were also still processing a decision handed down Tuesday, when prosecutors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, announced they would not press charges against the police officer who shot 29-year-old Black man Jacob Blake and paralyzed him in August.

The Eastern Conference Finals rematch was played in Miami, however, and Boston prevailed 107-105.

Prior to Wednesday's game, the Celtics and Heat released the following joint statement:

"We have decided to play tonight's game to try to bring joy into people's lives. But we must not forget the injustices in our society, and we will continue to use our voices and our platform to highlight these issues and do everything we can to work for a more equal and just America. #BLACKLIVESSTILLMATTER."

Most Celtics and Heat players knelt during the national anthem as well, marking the first time such a demonstration took place in the NBA this season after most players did so before every game in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, last season:

Miami will now look ahead to a game against the Washington Wizards in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Center Bam Adebayo said he won't leave his hotel except for the game, noting, "Being an African American man in this world, you can tell there's two Americas that we're living in."

The violence in Washington on Wednesday has seen police report over 50 arrests, multiple injuries and four deaths.