The Philadelphia 76ers got back on track Friday night with a 119-107 win over the Memphis Grizzlies after a discouraging 0-4 road trip. Unsurprisingly, the Philadelphia crowd voiced its displeasure with the team’s performance over the course of the road trip, as the team heard a smattering of boos during pregame introductions.
Head coach Brett Brown said he didn’t hear the boos when asked about it postgame, but also noted he would expect nothing less from the hometown crowd.
It appears, however, that at least on Sixers player noticed the mixed reception. Al Horford, who has been one of the main recipients of fans’ ire over the last week, gave the home crowd a not so subtle “shush” gesture after making a basket during the game.
Al Horford really just quieted the home Philly crowd after hitting a 3 pic.twitter.com/gaEaVlHHct
— Did the Sixers Win? (@DidTheSixersWin) February 8, 2020
This is a fairly common thing to see athletes do, but it’s usually directed at a hostile crowd when a team is on the road. It’s not every day you see a player shush the team’s fans at home.
It was a bold move from Horford. On one hand, it’s easy to understand him, and the other Sixers, not being thrilled with the mixed reaction from the home crowd.
However, it might not be the best time to poke the home fans. In addition to going 0-4 on the recent road trip, the Sixers were beaten by double-figures in each of those games. Furthermore, the team currently sits sixth in the Eastern Conference, a disappointing position considering the expectations entering the season. It’s just as easy, perhaps easier, to understand the fans’ frustrations.
Regardless, the Sixers cruised to a win over the Grizzlies, taking an important first step towards righting the ship and improving the mood of the home crowd. [lawrence-related id=25215,25208,25190]