Los Angeles Lakers' Carmelo Anthony calls fans' taunting in loss to Sixers 'unacceptable'

PHILADELPHIA — Carmelo Anthony took exception to some fans' taunting of him during the Los Angeles Lakers' 105-87 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, saying that the harassment was «unacceptable.» The incidents caused referees and players from both teams to intervene during the game.

With 7 minutes, 1 second left in the fourth quarter, Anthony confronted a fan standing behind the row of courtside seats near center court at Wells Fargo Center. Anthony said afterward that the fan referred to him as «boy.»

Play was paused for several minutes while security personnel advanced to the spot of the confrontation and refs guided Anthony away from the incident.

«Some things were said,» Anthony said afterward. «Unacceptable. I'm cool with fans heckling, fans talking trash, cheering for their team, booing the other team, I'm all for that. But when you cross certain lines, as a man, you just, that's what you're going to see. That's what you're going to get, as you saw there.»

While things were being sorted out, another fan seated courtside also taunted Anthony using similarly offensive language, according to Anthony.

Sixers center Joel Embiid came to Anthony's side when the courtside fan attempted to escalate things.

«I was just trying to calm the situation because they were just going back and forth, and I really wanted to just go home and finish the game,» Embiid said. «So, yes, that's what I wanted, to calm the situation down so we could play and move on.»

A Sixers spokesman told ESPN that one fan was ejected and that the Wells Fargo Center would be in charge of any further discipline. An email to Wells Fargo Center security from ESPN was not immediately returned.

Anthony said he would accept any further steps that are