NBA teams continue to take strong action against fans who use unacceptable language against players, and the Boston Celtics are the latest.
The Celtics explained the actions they took in banning a fan for two years after directing racially offensive language toward Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins in January.
Celtics release a statement on fan who received a 2-year ban after incident with DeMarcus Cousins. pic.twitter.com/UbRV53zvb9
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) March 29, 2019
It had been reported that the fan directed the n-word at Cousins during the game.
Yahoo Sources: A fan in Boston banned two years for muttering n***** at DeMarcus Cousins during Golden State’s only visit to TD Garden. More details in video link provided. https://t.co/xWpgFu0amH pic.twitter.com/JbtFOt3scZ
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 29, 2019
One would expect use of that language to be followed up by a much harsher punishment. This did not happen, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, because the fan is a minor.
Sources say the fan, who was sitting a few rows behind Golden State’s bench, is a minor. The Celtics’ investigation lasted approximately one week, and the Warriors and NBA both supported the punishment, sources said. https://t.co/Q6YWUF8HuW
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) March 29, 2019
This happened well before the highly-publicized confrontation between Russell Westbrook and a Utah Jazz fan who made a racist remark to him. These incidents received renewed scrutiny in light of that, and the Celtics are taking steps to address the issues in their arena.
