A fan was tackled by security on Monday night after running onto the court during the Washington Wizards-Philadelphia 76ers playoff game. The fan jumped up and touched the backboard at Capital One Arena before referees noticed him and stopped the game with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. After being tackled by security, he was pulled off the floor and then handcuffed by police.
The fan didn’t make any contact with the players on the court as they were on the other side. This comes just days after Wizards player Russell Westbook got popcorn dumped on him by a fan. “This is not a game or some s— you can just do whatever you want to do and run around,” Westbrook said after Washington’s 122-114 win per ESPN. “This is our job, and we take our job very seriously.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
#Wizards #NBAPlayoffs 🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/CEbHn85Oln
— Jeremy Christopher (@Jeromice12) June 1, 2021
Wizards coach Scott Brooks also commented on the incident. “They have no fear,” he stated. “I don’t know the law. But I just know you shouldn’t be able to do that and get away with it and just be kicked out because we all know you can dress different and look different and get into an arena.”
Fans have been one of the biggest stories in the NBA playoffs so far. Along with the two incidents in the Wizards-76ers series, there was a situation in New York where a fan spit on Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. In Utah, some fans were banned after they made racist remarks to the family of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. And a Boston fan threw a water player at Brooklyn Nets player Kyrie Irving, leading to him being arrested.
“True fans of this game honor and respect the dignity of our players,” the NBA Players Association said in a statement. “No true fan would seek to harm them or violate their personal space. Those who do have no place in our arenas. And their conduct is appropriately evaluated by law enforcement just as if it occurred on a public street.” The Wizards released a statement on what happened Monday night and said that the fan is banned from the arena and charges are being pursued by police.
