Watch: Kyrie Irving brutally mocks Boston Celtics fans and flips them off after draining a cold jumper
Kyrie Irving stuck it to the Boston Celtics fans while also delivering a fantastic performance for the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
The Brooklyn Nets' superstar point guard put up 39 points, going 12-of-20 (60.0%) shooting from the field and 6-of-10 (60.0%) from the three-point line. Irving was also perfect from the free throw line (nine-of-nine).
He had five rebounds, six assists and four steals to round off an epic Game 1 performance against the Celtics. Irving's heroics, however, could not prevent the hosts from stealing the contest 115-114 at TD Garden.
No slowing him down 🥶 https://t.co/oePjz4yza8
Irving's sensational performance came amidst a hostile reception from the fans at TD garden. The reason for the animosity towards Kyrie Irving is that the Celtics faithful still feel slighted by Irving opting to leave the franchise after just two seasons in Boston between 2017 and 2019. The seven-time All-Star opted to sign with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 offseason.
Irving did not let the constant abuse and chatter thrown in his direction during the opening game of the 2022 playoff series slide. He flipped the finger towards the Boston fanbase on more than one occasion, including when he hit a contested jumper from the right corner with 2:20 left in the third quarter.
Kyrie Irving gives middle finger to Celtics crowd 👀 https://t.co/WxKGVwvw0r
"Embrace it" - Kyrie Irving on his attitude towards the animosity from Boston Celtics loyalists
Last year, too, Kyrie Irving faced the wrath of the Celtics fans. He had a water bottle thrown at him when he appeared to stomp on the Boston Celtics’ logo when the two teams met in the opening round of the 2021 NBA postseason.
Irving, though, remains unruffled by the fans' reaction towards him. Speaking about the incidents between him and the crowd on Sunday night, Irving said:
“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.”
He added:
“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***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.”
Irving concluded:
“This is what it is … So if somebody’s going to call me out on my name, I’m gonna look at them straight in the eye and see if they really ‘bout it. Most of the time they’re not.”
"It's the same energy, and I'm gonna have the same energy for them... if somebody's gonna call me out on my name, I'm gonna look at them straight in the eye and see if they're really about it. Most of the time, they're not."
- Kyrie Irving https://t.co/2hnOwCZ6d7
Irving also claimed that the hostile environment motivated him. He said:
“Embrace it. It’s the dark side. Embrace it.”
Kyrie Irving on the energy from Celtics fans:
"Embrace it. It's the dark side. Embrace it." https://t.co/XKIwCyqSj1
Irving and the Nets will hope to level the series at 1-1 when they visit TD Garden again on Wednesday, April 20.