NEW YORK — From the second the Sixers inbounded the ball in their 105-95 win vs. the Nets (see story), a repetitive directive came from the first row behind the courtside seats.
Miss. Miss. Miss. Miss.
The Sixers were not even close to releasing a shot, and this fan was ready for the Nets to regain possession.
Eighty-year-old Bruce Reznick, also known as Mr. Whammy, has been attending Nets games for the past 18 years dating back to their days in New Jersey.
“When (Allen) Iverson was playing with Philadelphia at the old arena in Jersey, I wasn’t doing the 'Whammy' at the time,” Reznick said. “I was known then as ‘Red Shirt.’ I got the name ‘Mr. Whammy’ later on from (broadcaster) Ian Eagle.”
The Brooklyn native and his wife Judy stay vocal on every play (she frequently calls out, "Defense!"), but the real enthusiasm kicks in when the opponents head to the free throw line. Reznick hustles from his seat to stand by the basket, where he yells, points emphatically and jumps in excitement.
You’re gonna miss! You’re gonna miss! MISS!
NBA
Early in the game Reznick’s presence (and proximity to the game) caught veteran Gerald Henderson by surprise. At first he thought Reznick was actually on the court. When Henderson realized Reznick was not on the floor, he called out, “I love your energy.”
“Typically you don’t see people of his age standing up yelling,” Henderson said after the game. “I thought it’s pretty cool.”
Reznick keeps track of the opponents’ makes and misses at the line. For every miss, he gives himself a point. He tallied four on Sunday as the Sixers shot 23 for 27.
On Friday, the Cavaliers shot 31 for 43 from the line. That percentage pleased Reznick, whose favorite player to taunt is LeBron James.
“I’m very unhappy we lost, but very happy that I got 12 points against Cleveland,” he said.
Reznick said he did not hear the "Trust the Process" chants from Sixers' fans while Joel Embiid was at the line. After all, he was down by the basket in the midst of his own routine.