“It raised the angst, it raised the suspense… this is what we want, that’s why we’ve been ticked at him” - Stephen A. Smith believes Kyrie Irving’s interaction with the Boston fans adds to the entertainment
On ESPN's "First Take," sports media personality Stephen A. Smith spoke about how Kyrie Irving chirping at the TD Garden fans added to the excitement. Smith said:
"It raised the angst, it raised the suspense. Finally, we are being entertained. I was ecstatic that he was actually on the court balling and going at people the way they were going at him."
Irving has come under immense scrutiny for his exchange with a fan inside the TD Garden in Game 1 of the series against the Boston Celtics.
Subsequently, Irving was fined $50,000 for the gesture he made to the fan. The Celtics took Game 1 on the back of a Jayson Tatum buzzer-beater, despite Irving dropping 39 points on 60% shooting from the field.
Can Kyrie Irving help the Brooklyn Nets overcome the Boston Celtics?
The Brooklyn Nets have the capability to beat anybody on any given day. With Kevin Durant, Irving and Ben Simmons (who has yet to play), the Nets possess an offensive juggernaut that can consistently drop 120 points.
However, with Simmons seemingly out until at least Game 4, questions have been asked if the Nets have enough firepower to beat the Celtics.
Gameday prep ✅ https://t.co/zLGmBWyxNP
The Celtics needed a buzzer-beater from Jayson Tatum to beat a Nets team that had Kevin Durant attempt more shots than score points. This was an uncharacteristic game by Durant and it is highly unlikely that we will see such a performance from him again.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are offensive juggernauts that went up against a suffocating Boston defense and nearly left Game 1 with a victory. The duo have the unique capability to create shots, draw fouls, catch and shoot. Either could go for 50 points on any given night.
The Nets defense is not nearly as good as their offense, and the return of Simmons in this department will only help them. The Australian is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
While his return might not be until Game 4, Irving will have to keep his team alive in the series along with Kevin Durant until then.