Seeing red: Harden upset following laser incident
HOUSTON — Rockets guard James Harden said it was disrespectful that a fan flashed a light in his eyes during Monday’s game at Utah.
The fan, who wasn’t identified, has been banned by the league for one year, according to the Deseret News.
“That’s just disrespectful, not just to a basketball player, anybody,” Harden said after Wednesday’s practice. “Whoever that guys was he wouldn’t want to be lasered in the face, so that was disrespectful. It’s not my call [on the fan being banned], I’m just trying not to get blind.”
Harden was attempting a free throw late in the third quarter of the win over the Jazz when he and a referee noticed a fan pointing a laser light into the shooting guard’s eyes. Harden feigned that he was going to throw the basketball into the stands and arena security escorted the fan out of the arena.
“It’s a NBA game, you got fans trying to watch some good basketball games, really talented, blessed basketball players out there on the court and you’re trying to laser them, that’s just crazy,” Harden said.
It’s the second time this season the Rockets had dealt with fans misbehaving. In a Dec. 15 game at Sacramento, the business manager of Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins, Andrew Rogers, was ejected for slapping at the arm of guard Jason Terry. Terry was trailing a dunk by Kings guard Ben McLemore, when his momentum carried him near the baseline seats. Rogers slapped at Terry’s arm and, after a video review by the officials, Rogers was ejected. Another fan, seated near Rogers, was later ejected during the game.
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