After Saturday’s first Western Conference playoff game, New Orleans Pelicans Coach Monty Williams questions the noise level at Oracle Arena saying he thinks that the stadium’s noise level might break league rules.
After a Game 1 106-99 loss, Coach Williams came out Monday saying he feels that the noise level is too great at Oracle Arena, home of the Golden State Warriors. In fact, he called it “out of hand.”
“I’m not so sure the decibel level is legal, and I’m serious,” the coach said. “They’ve done studies on that. For the competition committee, there’s got to be something to that. It does get a little out of hand. Their fans, I’ve talked about it for years, they have some of the best fans in the league.”
Pelicans star player Anthony Davis seemed to agree that the noise was excessive.
“It’s definitely a different level, a different atmosphere,” Davis said. “It’s so loud I can’t hear my teammates or my coaches.”
But several Warriors players said that Saturday’s enthusiastic crowd was nothing compared to past games. Warriors guard Klay Thompson and forward Andre Iguodala both claimed they’ve heard even louder crowds at Oracle Arena.
The Pelicans aren’t saying the Warriors are doing anything on purpose to break league noise levels, but they definitely feel that it is possible that the stadium is not operating within the rules.
Still, coach Williams complimented Warriors fans on their team spirit.
“I’ve talked about it for years, they’ve got some of the best fans in the league here and they show up early,” Williams said. “The music before the game, they’re playing old school music, and it’s right above your locker room. And you’re like, ‘These people are crazy, man. This is pretty cool.’ So I’m sure it has an effect, but after a few minutes, it’s just basketball.”
The Pelicans’ Ryan Anderson also commented on the “crazy crowd.”
“It’s just a diehard group,” Anderson said.
“It’s a cool experience to be here in the playoffs. Obviously with the team’s success, the crowd is just even more into it this year, which is fun,” Anderson added.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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