Getty Boston Celtics fans cheer during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The Golden State Warriors were upset with the behavior of some Boston Celtics fans at the TD Garden in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, complaining about vulgar chants and obscenities directed at players. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t seem to share their concern.
Silver spoke out this week about reports of badly behaved Celtics fans, saying he wished they had been more respectful but ultimately leaving the issue alone — and even offering some words of praise for the Boston fans.
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Silver Speaks Out
After the Celtics defeated the Warriors 116-100 in Game 3, some Golden State players noted the hostile language from the Celtics crowd. Warriors guard Klay Thompson called out the fans, though insisted that their behavior didn’t have any effect on the game.
“We’ve played in front of rude people before, dropping F-bombs with children in the crowd,” he said. “Real classy, good job Boston.”
Draymond Green agreed that the bad language from fans didn’t faze the Warriors team, but his wife spoke out more forcefully against the fans.
“Warriors fans would NEVER!!” Hazel Renee wrote in an Instagram message, noting that the NBA has a code of conduct for fans. “My kids were at the game tonight hearing that mess! Very DISGUSTING of you little Celtics fans Just shameful!”
Klay was not happy with Boston fans dropping f-bombs with children in the crowd 😳
Silver addressed the issue with WCVB’s Peter Eliopoulos, who asked about the complaints that some members of the Warriors had raised after Game 3. Silver said he wished fans had been more respectful, but did not join the Warriors in condemning their behavior. He even offered some praise for them, saying he loves the energy of Boston’s fans.
“I want fans to enjoy themselves,” Silver told. “Of course from the league office you want to see it done with respect for all the participants, but I get it. I love the energy that the Boston fans bring to the game.”
Series Remains Contentious
The series has already had its share of heated moments, with Green in the middle of many of them. After he got into a series of on-court spats with members of the Celtics early in Game 2, Green became a target for Anna Horford, the sister of Celtics big man Al Horford. She took to Twitter to accuse both Green and Warriors guard Jordan Poole of dirty play.
Green was also the main target of animosity from Boston’s fans in Game 3. The broadcast caught them chanting obscenities toward him at different points during the game.
Anna Horford came to the defense of the Boston fans, saying that it’s a normal part of the game for players to hear choice language from the crowd.
“People try so hard to villainize Boston’s fan base when the behavior from our fans is pretty much on par with just about every other team in the NBA,” Horford tweeted. “Passion is everywhere. Vulgarity is everywhere. Like it or not, it’s part of the game — always has been.”
The Celtics and Warriors return to TD Garden on Friday night for Game 4, where the Warriors are looking to even the series before heading back to San Francisco.
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NBA Commish Speaks Out on Behavior of Celtics Fans Against Warriors