NBA Playoffs 2012: Classless Fan Behavior Has to Stop

If you’re an NBA fan, then you understand the competitiveness and taunting that goes on amongst the fans.

Every fan wants their team to win games. Every fan wants their team to have All-Stars, the MVP or the coach of the year. But most importantly, every fan really wants their team to win the NBA Championship. Unfortunately, fans cannot always get what they want.

But, as much as these basketball fans want their team to win, do they ever think for one second how much their team wants to win? It is crazy how much gossip, hatred, and heartbreak NBA fans possess without taking their favorite team and players into consideration.

Immoral behavior has been prominent throughout the playoffs. TNT hosted two NBA playoff match ups last night and the classlessness of fans truly shined.

The Miami Heat advanced to the second round of the playoffs after defeating the New York Knicks 106-94 in the fifth game of the playoffs. The majority of NBA fans would say this was not a surprise, because it was not. The Knicks had no chance against the Miami Heat who finished their season at 46-20.

Dramatic and emotional basically sums up the New York Knicks' season.

Off to a slow start, the Knicks lost 15 of their first 23 games of the season.

Stoudemire had to deal with the loss of a family member and was succumbed to injuries.Point guard Jeremy Lin was an excellent addition to the team, until he got hurt. The gossip between Carmelo Anthony and his former coach Mike D’Antoni became viral across the media.

And then the resignation of D’Antoni caused an even bigger stir in New York. Mike Woodson replaced D’Antoni and so far seemed like a good fit for the Knicks. In the Madison Square Garden it has been nothing but chaos this season.

In last night’s matchup against the Heat, Knicks fans pointed and criticized J.R. Smith who went 3-15 from the field, 0-4 from the 3-point line, and 6-6 from the free throw line scoring 12 points in 36 minutes of play. Knicks fans attacked Smith’s Twitter saying, “You’re the reason we lost,” “Don’t pick up the player option we don’t want you,” and “You were awful tonight, I highly doubt the Knicks will re sign you back.”

            Wait. Did some random Knicks fan really say that J.R. Smith is the reason we lost? We? Fans and critics are so quick to judge the athletic abilities of these basketball players who play ball for a living.

These athletes are playing to win for themselves and their team, not necessarily for the fans. Yeah, athletes appreciate fan support, but at the end of the day they are winning for themselves and they take the game of basketball seriously.

In all honesty though, for a fan to put all the blame on just one player when basketball is a team sport is just absurd and a true fan does not base an athlete's skills off of one bad game. Athletes are not perfect and they will not score 30 points and have 15 rebounds every single game in a season. That is just reality and fans need to recognize that.

Acts of classlessness were brought to a whole other level tonight when Grizzlies fans cheered as Blake Griffin fell to the ground holding his knee in pain. When he was able to get up and walk it off, all you could hear was “BOO!” from the mouths of Grizzlies fans.

Why is this behavior necessary? To cheer when any person is on the ground in agonizing pain is by far some of the lowest, immoral behavior I have seen in basketball.

The first incident of fans cheering for an injured athlete happened in the Bulls versus the 76ers in game 3 of the playoffs. After the Chicago Bulls lost Derrick Rose to a torn ACL injury in the first game of the playoffs, watching Joakim Noah fall to the ground after twisting his ankle was the icing on the cake. Chicago fans were devastated after seeing the pain he was in, but after hearing the 76ers fans cheering made Chi-town fans absolutely furious.

Noah even tried to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter and watching him unable to walk was difficult. He was a warrior and all he wanted to do was play basketball and help his team. The fact that the 76ers fans were cheering for his injury was yet another vicious act of humanity.

Where is the sportsmanship? Where is the class? This is basketball, not the end of the world. When somebody gets hurt, it is not a joke nor is it a laughing matter especially when it is a serious injury.

I am unsure when cheering on an injury became the right thing to do in basketball. I would have to guess, never. It is never the right thing to do. Before acting heartless, ask yourself how you would feel if your favorite player on your favorite team fell to the ground injured and fans cheered and laughed. I do not think the average person would approve.

This behavior is sickening and has to stop.