Hey Idiot NBA "Fans," STOP IT!

When teams started letting fans back into stadiums and arenas, it was a wonderful moment.  It showed that we've gotten past the worst of it, things are slowly getting back to normal, and people can once again watch the teams they love live in person.  That's what it was supposed to be, at least.  

What I don't think anybody had in mind is what has unfortunately become all too common in the NBA.  There have been four incidents during the playoffs alone where "fans" (and I use that in quotes intentionally) have thrown things at opposing players.  Behavior like this has got to stop.  One incident is unacceptable.  But four?  I can't even begin to try and understand how four happen in less than a week.

Apparently, according to these "fans," buying a ticket to the game entitles you to act however you want, even if that means dumping your popcorn on Russell Westbrook, spitting on Trae Young, yelling homophobic slurs at Ja Morant or throwing a water bottle at Kyrie Irving.  It does not!  The ticket provides you with entrance to the arena.  It doesn't give you the right to be an idiot.  And for what?  It's not like you're gonna get away with it!

That's the one element of rampant stupidity that I'll never understand.  It's like the guy who decides it'll be funny if he runs out on the field during an MLB or NFL game.  Has that ever ended any other way?  Same thing with these morons.  Do they not realize they're gonna get caught?  And do they not realize what the consequences will be when they do?  But, hey, I hope it's worth it.

To their credit, the home teams in each of these incidents moved immediately to find and identify the culprits, all of whom have been indefinitely banned from those arenas.  They've all worked with local authorities, as well, so these individuals may also face charges, too.  Which they should.  Because if they did something like that on the street, it would be assault.

As I write this, I see the news that there was another "fan" incident at an NBA playoff game.  This time, a man ran onto the court and touched the backboard during play at the 76ers-Wizards game in Washington.  So, if you're keeping track, that's now five.  Sadly, it's becoming a daily occurrence.  Something clearly needs to be done.  But what?  And how?

After the first incident (the one with the popcorn), Russell Westbrook made that exact point.  He pointed out the double standard of how the players need to "behave themselves" and not react when they're the targets of unruly behavior in the stands.  If they do react, they'll face heavy consequences.  They'll be fined and/or suspended.  Probably both.  The parties responsible should be held accountable, too, though, and they aren't always, which leads to bigger idiots doing something even stupider and even more dangerous.

It's not all fans.  I want to be very clear about that.  The vast majority of people who attend a game are there for the right reason.  They want to enjoy themselves, root for their team and root against the other guys.  Some booing and getting on the other team is expected.  That's part of the game.  Players know that and welcome it, as long as it doesn't cross the line. 

Each one of the incidents over the past week has clearly crossed that line.  Anybody with a functioning brain and common sense knows that!  There's a big difference between saying "hey Kyrie, you suck!" and deliberately throwing a water bottle at him!  Taunting is completely acceptable within reason.  The other is something else entirely.

Also, why does this only happen in the NBA?  Is it the proximity of the fans to the court?  I can't completely blame alcohol for it, since there's no way these morons are anywhere near as drunk as 90 percent of the fans at any football game.  Or, and I hate that I'm even thinking this, is it racially motivated?  What's the ethnicity of the players targeted in these incidents?  (Which, again, would help explain why this seems to only happen in the NBA.)

I'm actually really impressed with how the NBA and each team has handled the aftermath of these situations.  They were quick to identify the culprits, quick to act, and quick to issue a statement condemning what happened.  The players appreciate those efforts, too.  But an arena ban and a statement after the fact doesn't get to the root of the problem.  How and why does this keep happening?

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver probably doesn't want to address it, but we've reached the point where he doesn't really have a choice.  The league needs to make it clear that this type of "fan" behavior is unacceptable and hold the teams responsible.  What they should do is take a page out of European soccer's book.  UEFA isn't shy to force teams to play games behind closed doors because of misbehavior by their supporters.  If the NBA did that, I think it would get the message across.

Nobody wants that, especially since it would be tough to say the home team is at fault for any of these situations.  No one wants to go back to the way things were over the past 14 months.  People in the stands is an integral part of sports.  It's what creates the atmosphere.  That atmosphere is something that cannot be replicated, which we learned the hard way in 2020 (as much as they tried, everyone would admit it was nowhere near the same).  That's why I want them to allow fans at the Olympics.  They won't be the same otherwise.

Regardless of how the NBA decides to handle this, I think we can all agree that enough is enough.  Fortunately, none of these have risen to the level of the Malice at the Palace, one of the ugliest things ever to happen at a professional sporting event.  But it's gotten out of control and it needs to stop.  Now!