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76ers fans ejected after shouting at Carmelo Anthony repeatedly in win over Lakers
Two fans were ejected on Thursday night after they got into it with Carmelo Anthony late during the Philadelphia 76ers’ 105-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Anthony, near the midpoint of the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center, suddenly started marching over toward a pair of 76ers fans standing just behind the row of courtside seats during a dead ball. Clearly upset, Anthony started yelling at them before an official held him back.
The fans had apparently been yelling at Anthony for several possessions. The two fans were quickly ejected from the game.
Melo got into it with this fan and he was removed from the game 👀 pic.twitter.com/V3vpPHBXmx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 28, 2022
According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, one of the fans kept calling Anthony "boy" and yelled both "get in the corner boy" and "keep shooting boy" repeatedly.
Sixers fan that was ejected for taunting Los Angeles Lakers star Carmelo Anthony kept calling him a “boy” and yelling “get in the corner boy” and “keeping shooting boy,” league sources tell @YahooSports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 28, 2022
“I’m cool with fans heckling, fans talking trash,” Anthony said, via The OC Register’s Kyle Goon. “But when you cross certain lines, as a man, that’s what you’re gonna see.”
Anthony finished the night with nine points and three assists in 26 minutes off the bench.
“Unacceptable language and unacceptable behavior by fans is the simplest way to put it,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said, via The Athletic’s Bill Oram. “There’s gotta be a higher standard and hopefully that’s handled the right way.”
The fan who made the disparaging remarks toward Anthony was banned indefinitely from all future events at the Wells Fargo Center, including all 76ers games, a team spokesperson told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes on Friday night. The second fan was suspended for the rest of the season.
Philadelphia 76ers spokesperson confirmed to @YahooSports that following investigation, fan who made disparaging remarks toward Carmelo Anthony is banned indefinitely from all future Sixers games and events at Wells Fargo Center. Second fan suspended for remainder of season.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 29, 2022
The incident marks just the latest of its kind in the NBA in recent months. A fan sitting courtside during a Lakers game against the Suns in October was ejected after an incident with Rajon Rondo.
There was a string of fan incidents in the NBA last year shortly after the league opened arenas back up for the first time amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A 76ers fan dumped popcorn on Westbrook when he was playing with the Wizards, a Knicks fan leaned over rapper and entertainer 50 Cent to spit on Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, and several Utah Jazz fans made inappropriate comments to Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant's family. Immanuel Quickley had a beer thrown on him, and then Kyrie Irving had a water bottle thrown at him — which led to that fan being arrested.
After keeping it close for the first few minutes on Thursday night, the Lakers fell into a double-digit hole by the end of the first quarter and never got out of it. The 76ers pushed their lead to 20 by the end of the third quarter, and then held the Lakers scoreless for the final 2:25 of the game while cruising to the 18-point win.
Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the win, its third straight. Tobias Harris added 23 points while shooting 10-of-15 from the field, and Tyrese Maxey delivered 14 points with 10 assists.
Anthony Davis, though dealing with a new wrist injury, led the Lakers with 31 points and 12 rebounds in the loss. Russell Westbrook added 20 points. The Lakers were without LeBron James, who was ruled out with left knee soreness. As a team, they shot just 6-of-29 from behind the arc.
