“They were going to hang me when I got there” - Ralph Sampson on witnessing Boston Celtics fans hang a mannequin with his jersey

Game 5 of the 1986 NBA Finals wasn’t just about the Houston Rockets staving off defeat at home; Boston Celtics fans witnessed a shocking moment when the towering Ralph Sampson, who stood 15 inches taller than 6’1” guard Jerry Sichting, unleashed a barrage of punches at him during the second quarter.

Upon the series returning to Boston for Game 6, the 7’4” center found himself flanked by security measures, such was the wrath of Celtics fans towards him. Moreover, as he entered the Boston Garden, Sampson was greeted with a distasteful sight - a mannequin hanging in the rafter with his name and jersey number behind it.

Sampson on how he felt entering Game 6 in Boston

During his appearance on Cedric Maxwell’s podcast, ‘Stick’ reflected on the onslaught of hatred he received through messages and phone calls after Game 5. Despite remaining unfazed and being focused on forcing a Game 7, Sampson soon grasped that Celtics fans were eagerly seeking retribution for his actions against Sichting in the previous game.

"We get to the game, and you how the Garden was, hyped up, and you’re ready to play. We tried to get there early before Larry because he’s always trying to be the first one on the court," Sampson said .

"But, you're right, there was a mannequin or stuffed human figure with socks, jersey, and it had an afro wig on it. It had number 50 and Sampson on the back, and it had a noose hanging over the rail of the Boston Garden like they were going to hang me when I got there."

While Sampson insisted that the disrespect from Celtics fans served as extra motivation for him, coach Bill Fitch, having coached the C's before, was well aware of the Boston fans' antics. When the Rockets found themselves trailing by 19 points to begin the fourth quarter and the game clearly slipping away, Fitch wasted no time in pulling Sampson off the court before the shot clock ran out.

Maxwell felt compelled to apologize to Sampson

Recognizing the impact of facing the wrath of thousands of fans seeking vengeance and disrespecting a player by hanging their mannequin, Maxwell felt compelled to empathize with Sampson even years later.

"I have to apologize and I wasn't even there," Maxwell said. "It's just a bad spot in Boston history that people don't even talk about."

It’s safe to say that while the players understood that the animosity was only restricted to the court, Celtics fans unmistakably wanted to demonstrate that none of their players was to be messed with, let alone resorting to violence.

Related: “K.C. Jones ultimately came back to the bench all bloodied” - When Bill Walton received his first taste of Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry