The Boston Celtics started the first game of their first-round matchups against the Brooklyn Nets with a buzzer beat layup by Jason Tatum. The battle between Kyrie Irving and the Celtics fans could have been lost in such a great game.
After a difficult shot against Jaylen Brown late in the third quarter, Irving can be seen giving the middle finger to the fans in the crowd.
After the game, Irving spoke about how he felt about Celtics fans and how they showed disrespect for him and the game of basketball.
“Look, where I’m from, I’m used to all these antics and the people around,” Irving said after scoring 39 points in 42 minutes. “It’s nothing new coming into this building as it will be – but it’s the same energy they have for me, I will have the same energy for them.
“And it’s not every fan, I don’t want to attack every fan, every Boston fan. When people start yelling “p—y” or “b—-” and “f—you” and all that stuff, there’s only a finite number of competitors. We’re the ones expected to be docile and humble, take a humble approach, damn it, it’s the playoffs. That’s it.”
Boston has been a difficult place for African American players for decades. Irving was a Celtic for two seasons and during that time it was all love. After I signed with the Nets two years ago, the disconnect and animosity started to emerge.
“I know what to expect here,” said Irving after Sunday’s game. “And it’s the same energy that I give back to them. It is what it is. I don’t really focus on it, it’s fun, you know what I mean? I’ve been involved with so much where I’m from, so you come here and enjoy it as a competitor. … This isn’t my first time at TD Garden, so what you’ve seen, what you think is entertainment, or what the fans think is entertainment, it’s all fair competition.
“So when someone calls me by my name, I look them straight in the eye and see if they really mean it. Most of the time they are not.”
Irving put on amazing numbers despite the drama and seems poised to be the bad guy in Boston. Game 2 takes place directly in Boston on Wednesday evening.
