The Washington Wizards have lost eight of nine, and the players aren’t the only ones frustrated.
A Wizards assistant had to be held back from going after a fan in the stands near the end of Washington’s 121-101 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, with multiple players and fans intervening.
Wizards assistant Mike Batiste left his seat and got up to confront the heckling fan before centers Montrezl Harrell and Thomas Bryant stepped in.
“To my understanding, a fan or several fans said something that was out of line,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “Obviously, we have to take the high road and just can’t indulge in that. I think it was a situation where something was said that was a bit over the line, and I think it got the best of one of our coaches. Either way, you have to take the high road.”
Harrell reportedly accompanied Batiste down the tunnel and back to the locker room following the incident.
Monday’s altercation was the latest instance of fans clashing with players and coaches. Last year, then-Wizards guard Russell Westbrook was furious after a fan threw popcorn at him during Washington’s first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The incident, which happened in Philadelphia, led the NBA to implement stricter measures in an attempt to dissuade that type of behavior.
“In the last probably year-and-a-half since fans have been back in arenas, at times yeah, it has gotten a bit more egregious,” Unseld said. “So, it’s difficult because you have to kind of endure some things you probably shouldn’t endure or wouldn’t endure in the general public. But that’s part of it and you have to kind of have selective hearing at times and keep playing, go beyond that.”
A Wizards assistant coach has to be held back from going into the stands as a fan behind the bench must’ve been out of line with their comments. pic.twitter.com/9mIHzerjQI
— Wizards Film Room (@KevinFolliNBA) February 8, 2022
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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