Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving enshrouded himself in more controversy last night at the TD Garden in Boston.
During Game 1 of the NBA playoffs between the Nets and the Celtics, Irving subtly flipped off the Boston fans at the Garden. The superstar placed both hands behind his head and buried them into his hair, with his two middle fingers erect and pointed toward the stands.
When asked about the situation, Irving claims he was responding to Celtics fans who were displaying and shouting obscene messages toward him. “Look, where I’m from, I’m used to all these antics and people being close nearby. It’s nothing new when I come into this building what it’s going to be like. But it’s the same energy they have for me, I’m going to have the same energy for them.”
The behind the head middle fingers by Kyrie to the crowd was slick. pic.twitter.com/J0rqdh9U51
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 17, 2022
The sentiment towards Irving from Celtics fans stems from a long history in which Irving, who used to play for the Celtics, promised that he would sign a long-term contract with the team, only to leave for Kevin Durant and the Nets in 2019. Irving went off in the game, scoring 39 points in 42 minutes, but it still was not enough as the Celtics won the game 115-114, thanks to a buzzer-beater by Jayson Tatum.
“And it’s not every fan, I don’t want to attack every fan, every Boston fan,” Irving continued. “When people start yelling ‘p***y’ or ‘b***h’ and ‘f**k you’ and all this stuff, there’s only but so much you take as a competitor. We’re the ones expected to be docile and be humble, take a humble approach, f**k that, it’s the playoffs. This is what it is.”
Kyrie Irving comments on the Boston crowd. pic.twitter.com/yvdAm3WM7i
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 17, 2022
Notable former NBA stars including Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal called out Irving for his antics. “Please stop it, you athletes of today, whining,” Barkley said.
“I don’t really wanna hear all that,” Shaq said on TNT. “Certain cities, they don’t care what you say at the press conference. You know what’s going to happen in Game 2? They’re going to be talking more smack up there in Boston … It happens to the best of us … Man up.”
"You know what's going to happen in Game 2? They're going to be talking more smack."@SHAQ & Chuck weigh in on Kyrie Irving's postgame comments & exchanges with Celtics fans. pic.twitter.com/llmSvuBK4y
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 18, 2022
“This is the first time you actually caught it because this is a big-time game,” said Irving. “I respond in different ways. I’m not trying to focus on that. If you want to ask me questions about the fans, go ask them. Go on the street and ask them questions.”
What did you think of Irving’s antics during the game last night? Let us know, by either leaving a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
