Gerry Fraley writes about heckling in the league for the Dallas Morning News.  Hecklers have been too successful on some occassions, he writes, when their targets lash back.  Dan Issel lost his job to it.  And it's hard for players and coaches to maintain their composure sometimes, especially when there is nothing seperating them from fans like in some other sports.

Hecklers have turned meaner and stupider, Fraley suggests.  He reminisces about more clever and less offensive hecklers of days gone by.  He thinks perhaps alcohol and teams' efforts to get fans more involved may contribute to the problem.

The Dallas Mavericks rely on complaints from neighboring fans to determine who has gone too far in heckling.  Transgressors get one warning before being removed from the arena.