Julius Randle Lands in Similar Situation as Tobias Harris

Back and forth battles between players and fans are nothing new when it comes to Sixers games in South Philly. Two years ago, both Al Horford and Joel Embiid had separate "battles" with the fans as they shushed their own crowd after hearing scattered boos at times.

This year, Sixers veteran forward Tobias Harris is the latest member of the team to have a back and forth with the fans. Harris was off to a rough start during Monday night's game against the Houston Rockets.

As the veteran was shooting 3-10 in the first half, one of his unsuccessful field goal attempts resulted in boos from the crowd. How did Harris react? He waved his arms up in the air in an attempt to pump the crowd up and make the boos louder.

Harris's actions were a form of taunting, and his teammates and coaches wanted him to focus less on the crowd's reaction and more on his game as he was getting in his own head. When Harris came out in the second half, he played much better and turned boos into cheers. 

But once the crowd got back on Harris' side, the veteran forward didn't welcome it. Therefore, when Sixers fans cheered for a basket made by Harris, he was seen telling the crowd not to clap for him.

When Harris addressed the media regarding the situation a couple of nights later, he took the high road. Instead of blaming Sixers fans for their lack of support, he just chalked up the situation and admitted he was getting in his own head and simply needed to play better. 

Julius Randle Deals With a Similar Situation

Contrary to popular belief, fans booing their own team doesn't only happen in Philadelphia. On Thursday night, as the New York Knicks took on the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden, the boobirds were out early in the game as Randle and the Knicks struggled against their opponent.

Later on, when the Knicks battled back and formed a comeback, Randle wasn't a fan of the support as it wasn't there all game long. So, when the veteran forward trotted back on defense after scoring, he was seen making a thumbs down gesture, similar to Tobias Harris' "don't clap" moment.

While Harris had a couple of days to cool down and think about how he would react to his back and forth with Sixers fans, Randle addressed the New York media right after their Thursday night win over Boston. And his reaction wasn't necessarily similar to the Sixers forward's.

Randle's Reaction

When asked about what his thumbs-down gesture meant on Thursday, Randle put it simply. "Shut the [expletive] up," he said, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

He then further elaborated on his frustration.

"I really don't give a [expletive] what anybody has to say, to be honest," he continued. "I'm out there playing. Nobody knows the game out there better than I do, compared to what everybody has to say. So I really don't give a [expletive]. I just go out there and play."

Randle might've taken a less friendly approach than Harris did, but all will likely be forgiven in due time as the Knicks ultimately won the game on Thursday. 

While the Tobias Harris situation has already blown over in Philadelphia, Sixers fans can feel comfortable knowing that they aren't the only ones booing their own players when their team isn't playing up to par.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.