There may not be a pettier league on the face of this planet than the NBA.
Players, coaches, and even fans take great delight in the anguish of their rivals, and they will never miss an opportunity to twist the knife when given the chance.
That gets ratcheted up even higher when the playoffs roll around, which is why this latest example of fan pettiness should come as no surprise.
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla points during the first half of Game 1 of the basketball team's NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
To set this up, when the Philadelphia 76ers won their play-in game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, the fans made it clear they were ready for their next opponent, the hated Boston Celtics.
You gotta love the confidence here.
Surely, there is no way this will backfire in any way, shape, or form, right?
Getting punked in Game 1 is bad enough, but having the fans of the team that is currently punking you turn your own troll chant against you is extra brutal.
You know what they say: be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.
Now, for a little dose of optimism for all the Philly fans.
This is only game one, and as lopsided as the score was, your Sixers are only down 0-1 at the moment.
As an added bonus, this was a road loss, so you really only need to win game two and shift home court advantage back in your favor.
A series doesn't start until the road team wins a game!
So keep your chin up. There's still plenty of basketball left to be played.
And if you do somehow, miraculously get past the Celtics, I better not hear a single one of you saying "we want New York."
Austin Perry is a writer for OutKick.
