Joakim Noah Says A Cavaliers Fan Spit On Him Following The Bulls’ Game 2 Loss

Joakim Noah hasn’t exactly endeared himself to Cleveland Cavaliers faithful. But no imaginable media quip should subject the Chicago Bulls star to this type of treatment from his opponent’s fans.

As Noah headed to the Quicken Loans Arena locker room following his team’s Game 2 loss on Wednesday night, one Cavs follower stepped way, way over the line between fandom and outright bullying.

Disgusting.

Unless there are multiple eye-witness accounts of the incident, this deplorable fan will surely get away with such a heinous act scot-free. And that’s wildly unfortunate, of course. Not just because he or she deserves to face punishment from arena officials, but also due to the fact he or she is sullying the name of all Cleveland fans at The Q.

It bears mentioning that Noah hasn’t exactly shied away from becoming the Cavaliers’ villain. He has a long history of contention with LeBron James, and preemptively stoked the fire before the Eastern Conference Semifinals by decrying Northeast Ohio entirely.

Then there’s the overall reception Noah’s brand of basketball always gets from opposing fans – and even players – throughout the league. James alluded to it in respectful overtones in advance of the ongoing series between Cleveland and Chicago.

Here’s LeBron on the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:

“He plays well, they play well, his energy, his effort, you love to watch him. As a competitor, you hate him, but it’s all for the love of the game.”

Noah’s style of play makes him easy for many to dislike, and he constantly furthers that perception with on- and off- court barbs. He loves rabble-rousing.

But no harmless sports antagonist deserves this. Let’s hope Cavs officials can crowd-source to find the offender and discipline he or she accordingly before this awesome series comes back to Cleveland for Game 5.

*UPDATE: Is this video of the incident? Hard to tell.

[ESPN] [h/t r/nba]