Video emerged on Wednesday night of a fan spitting on Hawks point guard Trae Young during the Knicks’ game two victory, and that fan has now been banned from Madison Square Garden indefinitely.
Shortly after the 76ers laid down a similar penalty to a fan who poured popcorn on Russell Westbrook on Wednesday night, the Knicks released a statement Thursday afternoon revealing that the fan will not be welcomed back to MSG.
“We investigated the matter and determined that this patron, who is not a season ticket holder, did indeed spit on Trae Young, and for that reason, he is now banned from The Garden indefinitely,” the statement read. “We apologize to Trae and the entire Atlanta Hawks organization for this fan’s behavior.”
The NBA itself released a statement earlier on Thursday declaring that a stricter code of conduct will be enforced for fans, and both the Knicks and Sixers swiftly carried out discipline on their fans that crossed the line on Wednesday.
New York fans have been raining jeers down on Young all series, from “F--k Trae Young “ to “Young is balding,” which the Garden tried to use as a more appropriate replacement for the former.
“This was completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our venue,” the Knicks said in their statement. “We have turned the information over to the proper authorities.”
The series shifts to Atlanta for game three on Friday night.