"I don't forget either" - Kyrie Irving opens up about facing heat from Boston Celtics fans
Kyrie Irving, currently preparing for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, spoke out about the kind of heat and booing he suffered in the first game of the series. Irving played for the Celtics from 2017–19, but despite his initial promise to stay there, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets, leaving Boston fans upset.
During the first round of the 2021 Playoffs, Irving stomped on the logo of the Celtics mascot, Lucky the Leprechaun, which brought forth a range of criticism from fans. When asked about how Celtics supporters have not seemingly forgotten the incident, Irving claimed that the same is true for him as well.
“And I don’t forget things either. Somebody threw something at me while I was here. I’ve heard it all. Nobody asked me how I felt after that and why it could be a little bit of a traumatic response when I’m back in this environment after somebody does something like that," Irving said.
The eight-time All-Star claimed that the stomping was a response to a fan throwing something at Irving after the match.
The 32-year-old has been rampant throughout the postseason thus far but suffered a blip in Game 1. He scored 12 points, going 6-19 from the field.
Kyrie Irving believes several Celtics’ supporters still ‘love him’
While the response from supporters during Game 1 was undoubtedly unpleasant for Kyrie Irving, the press conference saw him delve into the Celtics' reception towards him. Irving claimed that despite the booing, Celtics fans tend to be respectful whenever he visits Boston.
“There has to be a respect there because if anything happens to my family while I’m here, then it goes way beyond the game. When I leave out of here and I walk around Boston, I don’t hear a lot of the things that I hear when I’m playing on the court,” Irving said.
He claimed that, while the recent reception might suggest otherwise, several Celtics fans still love him for his contributions to the organization.
“There’s a lot of mutual respect. There are a lot of Celtics fans out there that still love me, too, surprising to everybody. But when I’m on the street walking around, which I do, it’s a lot of love. I get a lot of embrace. I take pictures," Irving added.
Regardless, the Dallas Mavericks will be hoping to hit back in Game 2, with Irving expected to lead the charge alongside Luka Doncic.