BOSTON — Kyrie Irving is coming back to Boston for the NBA Finals, and chances are things will get a bit contentious between the Mavericks guard and Celtics fans at some point. As you probably know, there is a history between Irving and the Boston faithful.
Irving hasn’t been warmly welcomed back in Boston since he left the Celtics in 2019, and he’s done nothing to endear himself to Celtics fans since his departure. There was the stomping of the Celtics logo at midcourt in 2021, and then his one-finger salute to Boston fans as the Celtics swept his Nets out of the 2022 postseason. Burning sage inside TD Garden in 2020 can only do so much when Irving gives Boston fans more fuel for their vitriol.
On Monday, Irving attempted to get in front of the welcome he’ll receive in Boston and even expressed a bit of remorse for his past antics at TD Garden while chatting with reporters in Dallas. He didn’t outright apologize though, and pretty much passed the blame to Boston fans. And those fans are certainly guilty too; there’s no excuse for hurling racist taunts or throwing water bottles at anyone. This is just a game, after all.
Based on what he said Monday, Irving is going to do his best (or try to, at least) to keep his emotions in check no matter what Boston fans send his way over the next two weeks.
“I think I’m better at consolidating kind of the emotions now or being aware of what it’s going to be like,” Irving said Monday. “We call it animosity, we call it hate, we call it, ‘It’s going to be hell in Boston.’ I mean, there are real, live circumstances going on in the world that are bigger than the basketball, kind of the competitive side of things and answering those questions.
“Last time in Boston, I don’t think that was the best — not this regular season but when [the Nets] played in the playoffs — and everyone saw me flip off the birds and kind of lose my [stuff] a little bit,” he continued. “That wasn’t a great reflection of who I am and how I like to compete on a high level. It wasn’t a great reflection on my end towards the next generation on what it means to control your emotions in that type of environment. No matter what people are yelling at you.”
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Irving has been on his best behavior toward Boston since he joined Dallas at last season’s trade deadline. There isn’t much he can say, either, with the Celtics victorious the last 10 times they’ve faced an Irving-led team. (Stepping on that Leprechaun hasn’t worked out for Kyrie.) But that isn’t going to stop Boston fans from trying to get inside his head when the NBA Finals tip off on Thursday night.
Celtics fans have every right to hold a grudge against Irving. Danny Ainge acquired him ahead of the 2017 season to lead the Celtics to a championship, but he bailed after two seasons in green. Despite saying he planned on signing a long-term extension ahead of the 2018 season, he began to plan his exit (and team-up with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn) by the All-Star break. He pretty much quit on the Celtics that postseason and shot Boston right out of the second round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks.
He left for Brooklyn that offseason, which stung at the moment but was really the best option for both sides. Irving got what he wanted (and never ended up winning) and his departure allowed Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to become the stars that they are now. It’s somewhat fitting that they’ll now have to beat Irving and the Mavs to claim their first NBA title.
But the current team’s success doesn’t mean that Celtics fans are just going to excuse Irving from spurning the franchise five years ago. He will be booed and taunted mercifully whenever he touches the ball in Games 1 and 2, as fans attempt to throw Irving off his game. For now, Irving said he’ll welcome those jeers.
“I’m built for these moments to be able to handle circumstances like that, and I’ve been able to grow since then,” he said Monday. “Of course it’s going to be a hectic environment, but I’m looking forward to it. And I see it as a healthy relationship to have with the fans.”
Irving said that he wants to win the fans over, but that isn’t going to happen. Ever. But he did credit Celtics fans as being knowledgeable and respectful of the game. It seems like he’s trying to kill them with kindness, until he lets his jumper do the talking.
“It’s good to hear the TD Garden silent when you’re playing well,” he said. “They still respect great basketball.”
Irving is on his best behavior ahead of the NBA Finals, but we’ll see how long that last once the series tips off and the Celtics fanbase get its chance to welcome him back to Boston.