Immanuel Quickley had a beer thrown on him at Madison Square Garden
New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley says he had beer thrown at him during Game 2 at Madison Square Garden against the Hawks.
The dark side of having fans back in NBA arenas has reared its ugly head during the playoffs.
After multiple incidents involving fans, players and their families already this postseason, another has emerged.
Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley says a fan threw a beer at him during Game 2 between New York and Atlanta at Madison Square Garden.
Immanuel Quickley said a beer was thrown at him in Game 2 at MSG.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) May 31, 2021
“Not sure why, not even sure who did it, but it happened. I guess that’s part of having fans in the game.”
This is just one of several despicable events from the playoffs.
Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley is the latest player with negative fan interaction
Most recently, Nets guard Kyrie Irving had a water bottle thrown at him as he walked off the court at TD Garden. That fan is now facing felony charges.
A fan dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook of the Wizards after Game 2 between Washington and Philadelphia.
Three Jazz fans were banned after heckling the parents of Grizzlies guard Ja Morant during Game 1.
Even one of those incidents alone would have been unacceptable. The fact that multiple playoff games have been marred by fan behavior is a huge problem.
The playoffs should have been a triumphant return for crowded arenas and immense energy. The NBA now has to crack down on fan behavior instead of celebrating one of the best months the sport has to offer.
No fan should throw beverages, food or objects at a player. No fan should harass the family of a player. For that matter, no fan should engage in harassment of any kind at a basketball game.
The sad thing is the actions of a few bad apples is likely to create more separation between players and fans than ever before. It’s just a bad situation all around.
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