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- Multiple members of the Washington Wizards had to intervene to diffuse a dicey situation at the end of their game against the Heat
- Players and staffers restrained assistant coach Mike Batiste after he attempted to enter the stands to confront a fan
- Read more NBA news here
The Washington Wizards got off to a fairly promising start this season by kicking off their campaign with a 10-3 record. Unfortunately, it’s been all downhill from there, as the struggling squad is currently five games out of the playoff picture and has gone 2-8 over the course of its last ten games (a stretch that includes a six-game losing streak).
Anyone who was searching for a glimmer of hope when the team hosted the Heat in D.C. on Monday night was left decidedly disappointed, as Miami fans did a great job turning Capital One Arena into a hostile environment while watching their crew coast to a decisive 121-100 victory.
Listen to those "Let's go HEAT" chants on this fast break. Volume up 🔊 pic.twitter.com/RCTJ9gPEYu
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 8, 2022
The ugly loss was capped off by an ugly incident that unfolded in the closing seconds of the game, as the contest was temporarily derailed just before the final possession when multiple players intervened to stop Wizards assistant coach Mike Batiste from charging into the stands to confront a fan who managed to draw his ire.
https://twitter.com/NBCSWizards/status/1490878368715362307
Montrezl Harrell and Thomas Bryant were thankfully able to prevent Batiste (who stands at 6’8″ and weighed 245 lbs. when he played as a pro in Europe) from getting very far, and the coach was ultimately escorted to the locker room to permanently diffuse the situation.
It’s not entirely clear what the fan said to set Batiste off, and while head coach Wes Unseld Jr. implied the spectator had uttered something that crossed the line, he lightly admonished his staffer for failing to exercise restraint in the heat of the moment.
https://twitter.com/NBCSWizards/status/1490884044057370627
Based on similar incidents that have unfolded this season, it’s probably only a matter of time until we get more insight into what went down, but this isn’t a great look for anyone involved.