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In the wake of Jimmy Butler's unfortunate deep glute contusion, animosity between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets is at an all-time high. From Warriors fans calling Amen Thompson “dirty” for undercutting Butler to Houston fans chanting “F**k you Draymond Green”, the tension between these two teams and their fanbases has never been higher.
But for Steve Kerr, what's happening with fans in person is more concerning. After a short practice on the eve of Game 3, Kerr was asked about the recent trend of fans chanting F-U to players across the league.
“I don't even know what's going on in social media. But I saw what happened last night in Detroit, with the fans chanting ‘F-you' [Jalen] Brunson. And obviously, Draymond with the other night in Houston, it feels like we're stepping way over the line… I would just implore fans everywhere to not cross the line,” Kerr said firmly. “You can yell at the players and you can you can say a lot of things, but I just find it um disturbing when there's 20,000 fans yelling ‘F-you' to a player.”
Kerr's comments reflect the growing fan-player interaction conversation in recent weeks. And while Brunson downplayed the explicit chants in Detroit, he described the incident as “definitely a lot.”
Taking stock of this heated Warriors-Rockets series
It's understandable why there is so much vitriol in this Warriors-Rockets series.
With how physical both teams have played one another, there's been enough tension and toxicity in this series alone for the NBA to take serious notice. It's gotten to the point where the Timbewolves' Chris Finch, a head coach in a completely different series, stated he'd be “surprised” a fight did not break out between the two teams.
It's clear that the unchecked physicality has affected how the fans are acting. Fans are passionate about their team. They want their team to win, and the vitriol comes from a place of standing up for the players. And Kerr understands that fan perspective.
“I understand it's an emotional time when you come to a game and you want your team to win,” the Warriors head coach said. “But the league asks the players to watch their decorum. I think we should ask our fans to do the same. I mean, everyone kind of knows where the line is, and we're definitely crossing it, and I don't think it's good for anybody.”
Steve Kerr's personal perspective
Kerr's no stranger when it comes to fans crossing a line.
Back in his time in college at Arizona, Kerr was subject to some inappropriate chants regarding his deceased father by a handful of Arizona State students before a rivalry game in Tempe. He understands more than anyone the lines drawn in the sand when it comes to fan-player interactions.
Kerr was asked a follow-up about whether his perspective stems from his own player-fan interactions back in college.
“I think it's just coming from human emotion. I mean, the beauty of sports is that we're so invested and we love our team. We're cheering so hard. I think in general, fans are not trying to cause too much disturbance,” Kerr said. “Obviously there are times when that happens, but I just think it's the human emotion of winning and losing. Sometimes it spills over and I just think fans should think twice before in unison chanting with, like I said, kids all over the arena, the players themselves, [and] family members watching.
Later in the press conference, Kerr offered his own theory that explains the growing trend of toxic fan behavior.
“It's just a bizarre scene, and it's honestly not something that I had ever heard before Boston in 22′. I think it's probably more just a sign of where we are as a society today compared to even 10-15 years ago. More and more things are accepted. I think it's probably something we should think about before we just launch into it.”
