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Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James shared his thoughts on recent fan incidents involving Russell Westbrook, Ja Morant, and Trae Young, and how the NBA currently protects its players.
After leading the Lakers to a 109-95 victory in the franchise’s first home playoff game at Staples Center since 2013, James expressed his support for the league and the franchises for responding to the regrettable incidents.
“There’s been enough done to protect the players, but we gotta continue to do that,” Lakers star LeBron James said. “The NBA did a great job, and also the respective teams — Philly, New York, and…Utah, as well — protecting our players by banning the individuals that had these instances. That’s not a part of cheering…or heckling players, or being as loud as you can.”
On Wednesday, the NBA dealt with three ugly incidents as arenas welcome more and more fans back for emotional playoff games after 14 months of a pandemic.
In Game 2 between the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, a Sixers fan dumped popcorn on Westbrook as he headed to the locker room to nurse an injury. LeBron passionately condemned the action on Twitter.
By the way WE AS THE PLAYERS wanna see who threw that popcorn on Russ while he was leaving the game tonight with a injury!! There’s cameras all over arenas so there’s no excuse! Cause if the ? was on the other ??.? #ProtectOurPlayers
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 27, 2021
At Madison Square Garden, Young was on the receiving end of more than just vulgar chants, as a disgusting fan had the nerve to spit on the Hawks guard. Later that night, three Utah Jazz fans hurled sexually explicit and racist remarks towards Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant’s family during Game 2.
my family told me they felt the love from all the other jazz fans who were around them ? even bought each other drinks with a few.
those 3 just went too far ? https://t.co/1XvjXcPVOo
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) May 28, 2021
In each instance, the behavior was publicly condemned by the teams, and the bad actors were promptly banned from the arenas.
“All the heckling, that’s great,” Lakers superstar LeBron James continued. “We don’t mind that. We’re going to hear the boos. We understand that. May be a couple curse words here and there, and we understand that as well. Actually, I love that. I’m absolutely OK with that. But there’s a line, and we’re all grown, we all know what the line is when you cross it. So, to see Russ get popcorn thrown on him leaving the game, to see Trae Young get spit on, and to hear about Ja’s family in the crowd in Utah. Those are things that’s not going to represent our league, represent our players, or represent these respective teams, and those teams handled it with utmost professionalism. So kudos to the league, kudos to the Knicks, Jazz, and Philly and we want to continue to move forward.”
Earlier this season, James — who was the target of famously vitriolic behavior after joining the Miami Heat — seemed to relish in a back-and-forth with a courtside Karen in a Lakers win over the Atlanta Hawks.
“I miss that interaction. I need that interaction,” LeBron said at the time.
LeBron James and a courtside Hawks fan get into it, causing the refs to stop the game. ?pic.twitter.com/XIHYGNvepX
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) February 2, 2021
At Staples Center on Thursday — LeBron’s first playoff game in East Los Angeles — the Lakers crowd was fired up from the jump, breaking out “F*ck Jae Crowder” chants early and often.
James fueled the fire by making an example out of Crowder, his longtime foe, while sparking the Lakers’ third-quarter run and sending both the Lakers bench and crowd into a tizzy.
LeBron playing with his food pic.twitter.com/j2QPAr0LKK
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 28, 2021
LeBron with the bully ball on Jae Crowder! Can’t guard The King!#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/Om7YKI4UG2
— LakeShow Highlights (@LA_HighLights24) May 28, 2021
Finally, with the game’s outcome finally settled, Larry David on his way home, and Devin Booker and Crowder in the locker room, the Lakers’ first playoff win in front of their fans in nearly a decade ended with “Kobe” chants.
“KOBE, KOBE!”
Staples Center erupts in chants for Kobe Bryant as the Lakers win their first playoff game in Staples since 2013 ??pic.twitter.com/DH96EtU3xg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 28, 2021
More of all of that — less (meaning zero) spitting and racism.
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