Rick Bowmer, Associated Press
Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook gets into a heated verbal altercation with fans in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, March 11.
The Utah Jazz did the right thing by issuing a lifetime ban against a fan they say verbally abused Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook here on Monday. The NBA also did the right thing by fining Westbrook $25,000 for hurling abusive language back at the fan.
When it comes to the interaction of fans and players at highly attended, emotionally charged sporting events, the line of demarcation must be drawn quickly, strictly and definitively on all sides.