The Milwaukee Bucks announced on Saturday that following the shooting incident near Deer District towards the end of Game 6, they will be canceling the watch party for Game 7.
In the closing minutes of Milwaukee’s 108-95 loss, gunshots were heard by witnesses and it was revealed that three individuals were shot during the incident and that a 29-year-old man was held in custody. Thankfully, none of the three individuals suffered life-threatening injuries but it was an incredibly scary situation regardless. On the back of it, the Bucks released a statement to convey that they would not host a watch party at Deer District, which had become the norm during their run to the title last season:
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 14, 2022
“The shootings that happened in downtown Milwaukee last night were horrific and we condemn this devastating violence. In order to allow law enforcement to devote needed resources to the continued investigation of last night’s events, we have decided to cancel tomorrow’s planned watch party on the plaza. We continue to work with the Milwaukee Police Department and other public security partners to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our fans.”
One hopes that we never find ourselves in a situation like this ever again, where fan safety is at risk. The incident put a damper on what was a great game of basketball between two of the best teams in the NBA. The Celtics managed to bounce back from a disappointing loss in Game 5 at home and will now look to reach their fourth Eastern Conference final in the last six years.
The Bucks, meanwhile, will attempt to become just the sixth team in NBA history to close out the Celtics in Boston in a Game 7, with the most recent one being LeBron James’ Cavaliers winning 87-79 in the 2017-18 Eastern Conference Finals.
