AMHERST, Mass. -- Boston Celtics players and coaches interlocked arms during the national anthem before Tuesdays preseason opener against the Philadelphia 76ers at UMass-Amhersts Mullins Center.The team also released a video via social media at tipoff, promoting unity.In addition, the?Rockets?and?New York Knicks all locked arms at midcourt during the national anthem before Tuesdays game at the Toyota Center in Houston, while the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings joined arms during the anthem before their game, as well.Celtics coach Brad Stevens and Jae Crowder said earlier Tuesday?that the team had put a lot of time into thinking about the best way to promote positive change.Weve had a lot of sit-down discussions about it. Weve had a lot of individual discussions, Stevens said. Weve had three or four meetings after practices, sometimes just players, sometimes just us, sometimes people weve invited in from the outside to spend time with our guys. Our guys have been incredibly thoughtful, and I think, like from what Ive seen across the NBA early on, I think our guys are really focused on promoting positive unity, togetherness, progress and all those types of things. But those have been, as far as deep, certainly good discussions, theyve been great. And I commend our guys for sharing and for thinking and for really looking at this in a really insightful way.I think one of the great things about being a part of a team is you all come from different backgrounds and you learn about each other and you all come together for the common cause, and thats why we all love sports, right? We can all rally around that common cause and we can rally around teams. But I think when you really get into deep, impactful stuff, those are special conversations, and sometimes those are uncomfortable, and sometimes there can be tension around those; but I think thats the beautiful part about our group, is that they all appreciate one another, really support one another. And again, I think youll see, like I think theyre very much into what the teams that Ive seen thus far, in talking about togetherness and continued progress.Crowder said the team thought it was important to find the proper way to deliver its message.What do we want to portray? What do we want our message to be? Thats what we had talked about -- and how can we go about doing it in a positive way? Thats all we talked about, Crowder said. We just want to make sure everybodys on the same page and everybody [can] speak on their belief. We dont want anybody to feel like theyre doing something they dont want to do or talk about something they dont want to talk about. So we just wanted to make sure everybodys on the same page in those conversations that we had.And what was the message the Celtics wanted to deliver?That we need change in this world, Crowder said. We need to do it together. Just not one individual; its got to be a team-type deal, a unity, a togetherness. Whatever we decide our message to be, it has to be about being together as one and coming together as one.The Celtics inspiration for the interlocked arms came from a picture of the 1960-61 Boston team, which interlocked arms in a team photo with the goal of promoting civil rights. Team officials produced the picture for the players, who quickly warmed to the idea of carrying on the legacy of those who wore the Celtics jersey before them.Tom Satch Sanders, a rookie on that 1960-61 squad, spoke to the Celtics on Monday after the final practice before their preseason opener.What we were saying in our meetings, that weve got to do it together as a team, and that picture showed a great example of that. Thats why we [said] OK, we can tie it in with us, Crowder said. Those guys did it during a time where it was tough. Its not that bad now, but still, they did it together, they tried to make a change together, and thats where we got the idea.Tuesdays demonstration?was the first one on the court for the Rockets. When they played their first preseason game Sunday against the Shanghai Sharks, the entire team stood at attention for the playing of the American and Chinese anthems.Carmelo Anthony said he and Joakim Noah reached out to James Harden about the Knicks and Rockets making a unified statement.They were on board with it, and it was just a matter of us coming together and showing everybody were united, Anthony said.Said Noah: I think it was very respectful, but at the same time [it brought] awareness to some of those issues.Harden said the demonstration represented a brotherhood and that the message was unity.Just standing together for something that we believe in; obviously we know whats going on around the world, he said. We wanted to use our high power and noticeability to just go out there and make it aware that were going to stand together, not just the two teams, but the entire league.We want to use our platform to show people that were together and were behind them in this. ... Its something that well continue to do, and we have a platform and we want to use it. Its just the beginning.The Los Angeles Lakers released a statement supporting their players.We fully support our players in exercising their right of expression over an issue that is so important, the statement read. We also applaud the NBA and the NBA Players Association for their collaborative work in expanding the dialogue and for their spirit of cooperation.Many players across multiple sports, led by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have taken a knee, locked arms or raised fists during the national anthem in protest of police brutality against African-Americans and other societal issues.ESPNs Calvin Watkins, Ian Begley and Baxter Holmes contributed to this report. Cheap Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. 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The topless spectator wearing a white mask surged from the crowd near Nadal as the Spanish player was about to serve for the second set, leading 5-1. The man had the words "Kids right" written on his belly. Security personnel bundled the man to the ground and quickly hauled him away. Roland Garros tournament director Gilbert Ysern did not dwell on the matter. "I have no wish to speak about it, quite honestly. The only thing I will (say) is that luckily our security services did a great job," Ysern said. "I dont want to give any additional publicity to these people, who, sadly, have a lack of a respect for sport and sportsmen. Its just pathetic." The centre-court incident was one of several within the space of a few minutes by protesters. Police officials said a total of 12 people had been handed over by tournament security officials for questioning by police, but are not yet under arrest. A guard stood near Nadal, protecting him, while the protester was subdued. Nadal took a couple of steps back to get away from the protester and, once the protester had been wrestled to the ground, shook the guards hand before resuming play. The match was only briefly delayed. Nadal beat David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to win his eighth French Open title. "I didnt lose my focus," Ferrer said. "Rafael, he was scared a little bit. But nothing happened, so its okay." Just ahhead of the on-court protester being carried off, another protester could be seen a row or two back in the stands also being carried off.dddddddddddd Stewards also expelled a man and a woman from the Court Philippe Chatrier after they held up a banner that read in French: "Help! France is trampling on childrens rights." Another man and a woman held up a similar banner in English and shouted slogans. "Today was strange," Ferrer said. Five topless protesters also brandishing red flares and wearing white masks climbed to the top of the adjacent Court Suzanne Lenglen and unfurled a banner calling for the resignation of French President Francois Hollande. Christophe Fagniez, the tournaments director of operations, said: "The situation is under control, its in the hands of the police." A male streaker wearing nothing but tennis balls and sneakers ran onto the centre court and hurdled the net during the 2003 final where Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Martin Verkerk. In the 2009 final won by Roger Federer, a man jumped over the photographers pit and ran on the court, went up to the Swiss player and tried to put a red hat on him. Federer brushed the man aside before security guards got close enough to intervene. After hopping the net, the man was tackled and jailed for questioning. 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