Sometimes rookies just aren’t as equipped to deal with difficult situations as veterans are. In this case, the difficult situation came in the form of a fan interaction. As you can see from the photo above that Austin Espinoza shared with us on Twitter, Hawks rookie forward Ivan Johnson did not appreciate something a Celtics fan said to him after Atlanta’s loss on Thursday night. In order to express his displeasure, Johnson flipped the C’s fan the bird — directly in his face. Jump ahead for the uncensored version.
The Hawks fought hard in the series and if Al Horford didn’t miss a crucial free throw down the stretch, they may have been able to force a Game 7 in Atlanta. While Johnson will probably catch a fine from the NBA since he was caught on camera, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t appreciate his style. Anyone can flip someone off like this or this, but nothing makes a stronger statement than sticking your middle finger directly in the heckler’s face. Anything worth doing is worth doing right, and that includes giving the finger when you’re about to be fined for it anyway.
H/T Ball Don’t Lie
