Did a Cleveland Cavaliers Fan Spit Dip on Joakim Noah During Game 2?

Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls has done much to endear himself to the good people of Ohio in recent weeks. 

He's played cheerful ambassador, blessed their star player with a feline nickname and reminded their national championship-winning quarterback that he's not in the SEC—all in the last month.

Thus we have the current state of Joakim-Cleveland relations, where both parties would shake hands just to get close enough to tear out the other's floating rib. This is not a great level to be at, and almost impossibly, things between Noah and Cleveland may have deteriorated even further during the Bulls' 106-91 loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago's Chuck Garfien tweeted that Noah told security personnel at Quicken Loans Arena that a fan spat on him as he left the court at halftime.

On its own, Noah's claim doesn't amount to much, but video shared by Twitter user Steven Ray (h/t Miami New Time's Ryan Yousefi) shows what's likely to be the incident in question. 

The video shows a fan with a cup turning toward Noah as he heads for the locker room. It then appears as if the fan spits something in the player's direction. Noah responds with a one-handed push on the man's shoulder as he walks away.

Yousefi thinks Noah was provoked by a dip attack.

"

I mean his mouth is tilted to the side as Noah approaches him. Very indicative of dip spit. Nice observation @Rizzmigizz

— 2015 Lottery Champs (@MiamixHeatles) May 7, 2015"

I tend to agree with this take. Dip spit has been thrown at players before, and Noah is currently the most hated man in Cleveland. Occam's razor doesn't have to cut too deeply here.

Update: May 8

Noah has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for pushing the fan, according to K.C. Johnson.

---End of update---

On the other hand, what does the league do with Noah's swipe? It was a baby push, and probably less than the man deserved, but in a post-Malice at the Palace NBA, any contact between fans and players will be scrutinized.

I, for one, hope Noah plays. He is the quintessential heel, and judging by his free-throw shooting, Cleveland fans should be mad if the league levies any sort of suspension on him. 

I also hope this jamoke doesn't get to smell an NBA basketball game in Cleveland again. Spit is bad, but dip spit—the Florida Georgia Line of phlegmatic excretions—is just unforgivable.

Dan is on Twitter. Don't spit on or shove people, people.