Fan who rode Noah also was out of line, Bulls say

Fan who rode Noah also was out of line, Bulls say

No one on the Chicago Bulls is making excuses for the way Joakim Noah lashed out at a fan in Miami with an anti-gay slur that drew a $50,000 fine from the NBA. But at least two members of the Bulls want it known that the fan was way over the top with the way he was riding Noah, and that they feel the spectator should have been removed by security.

Luol Deng told the Chicago Tribune that Noah needs to keep his emotions in check, then added:

"But that fan should have been out of the game. He should have been thrown out way before. He just kept going at him . . . There are times when a fan like that -- honestly, I feel like jumping in the crowd and hitting him. We're humans. And the camera is not on that fan at all. I know Jo apologized and everything, but people have to see it the other way, too. Everyone says things they don't mean. He let the emotion get the better of him. But honestly, with a game like that, hearing that fan -- I wanted to do something about it, too."

Taj Gibson told the Tribune the spectator was relentless with remarks aimed at Noah:

"I was able to hear it, but I can't basically say what they were saying. It was really over the line. It was going on for the entire time Joakim walked back to our bench until he sat down, and they kept getting on him the whole time. At first, he looked, Joakim looked to see who was saying it, and the guy just kept going. I know the crowd -- the crowd looked at the guy, too, like come on, leave him alone, it's over. He was really loud. He was a big guy, too. He was intoxicated."

See photos of: Chicago Bulls, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng

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