Jazz ban second fan for issue with Westbrook
The Jazz have banned the fan who called Russell Westbrook “boy” in Game 4 of last season's first-round playoff series against Utah, the Deseret News reported Friday. News of the second ban came three days after the Jazz announced the permanent ban of the Jazz fan who got in a heated exchange with Westbrook during the Thunder's 98-89 win at Utah on Monday. Westbrook and his teammates said the man KSL identified as Shane Keisel told Westbrook, “Get down on your knees like you're used to.” Westbrook was caught on video responding, “I'll (expletive) you up. You and your wife. I'll (expletive) you up.” The altercation sparked conversation about Utah fans' previous interactions with Westbrook, especially a video from last season's playoff series of a fan calling him “boy” before Game 4. Westbrook calmly told him not to call him boy, and when the fan persisted, Westbrook called over arena security. “Especially Utah, every time I come here there's a lot of disrespectful things that's said,” Westbrook said Monday. Before the Jazz's home game against the Timberwolves on Thursday, Jazz owner Gail Miller addressed the crowd about Monday's incident. “This should never happen,” Miller said. "We are not a racist community. We believe in treating people with courtesy and respect as human beings. From time to time individual fans exhibit poor behavior and forget their manners. Some disrespect players on other team. When that happens I want to jump up and shout, `Stop!'” Westbrook declined to comment Wednesday on the Jazz's swift action in issuing Keisel a permanent ban, saying, “You want to talk about tonight's game, we can do it. If not, enjoy your night.”
New Zealand tragedy
After a mass shooting in New Zealand on Friday left 49 dead and many more wounded, a post on New Zealand native Steven Adams' verified Twitter account sent a simple but powerful message: three sets of prayer hand emojis followed by, “#Kiakaha” The Maori phrase kia kaha means stay strong. The terrorist attack took place in two mosques in central Christchurch. Police told reporters four people were taken into custody and one man in his late 20s had been charged with murder. The gunman livestreamed the attack on social media. The shooting was the deadliest in the modern history of New Zealand.
Stat of the day
97.7: Points allowed per 100 possessions by the Thunder in its past three games. OKC has the second-best defensive rating in the league in the past three games, trailing only Brooklyn (96.4). The Thunder beat the Nets 108-96 Wednesday.