Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon says boos from Hawks fans hurt, but ‘it’s part of the game’

ATLANTA — Whenever Malcolm Brogdon touched the ball early or lined up to take a free throw in the Celtics’ Game 3 loss against the Hawks, he heard it from the local fans. There were boos and chants directed at the Sixth Man of the Year who’s also from the city.

But Brogdon likely rustled my feathers after his comments prior to Game 3, when he took a jab at Hawks fans. Brogdon said the Atlanta fan base hasn’t been the most dedicated throughout the franchise’s history, including himself. Hawks fans likely didn’t take kindly to that as Brogdon was showered with boos in his hometown.

“It definitely hurts,” Brogdon said Sunday ahead of Game 4. “I think it’s part of the game. I think there are going to be times when stuff like that happens. You get booed. But when I’m at home I want to be embraced, I want to be loved. I was born and raised here. This city raised me, and I love this city back. So, it’s all love.”

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There were at least a few chants directed toward Brogdon, though he said he only really heard the boos. He added that he remembers watching now-teammate Al Horford lead the Hawks and other impressive teams. Brogdon also said he wasn’t bothered too much by the boos.

Brogdon said he only has about five or six close family members in town for the game. While there were plenty of other people who wanted tickets to see Brogdon, he said he wanted to keep it small because those requests can be a distraction during the playoffs. And Brogdon was clear for his affection for Atlanta, even if that doesn’t always extend to the basketball franchise.

“I just wanted to show them that I love this city,” Brogdon said. “At the end of the day I love the people, love the fans here. This is home for me. They’ve always embraced me. I want them to continue to do that, because I’m going to continue to rep this city, love this city, do good work in this city no matter what. Like I said in the article, my love here is undying. So, I love this place.”