Boston — The TD Garden crowd gave Kyrie Irving a loud and clear message during the Dallas Mavericks’ 138-110 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday night. There were loud chants of “Kyrie sucks” throughout his introduction to the starting lineup and when he held the ball. “They’re free to boo. They have every right to keep booing until I defeat them, based on my career record versus them in the last several games,” Irving stated. “I believe that’s what adds enjoyment to sports and competitive sports theatrics. You just have to accept it. It is a component of it.
Irving, whose difficult career with Boston from 2017 to 2019 came to an end, replied to the negative reaction by respecting the fans’ right to voice their displeasure. Irving responded, “Nope, the jeering is a part of it, man.” “Once more, I battled with Boston supporters before I ever came here. Though I wouldn’t say I’ve broken up with them frequently, we used to visit Boston early in my career and give them a hard time. Now that I’ve experienced both sides of the argument, I understand that this is a necessary part of being competitive.
I’ve experienced both sides; I’ve sent Boston supporters home while they constantly jeered at me, and I’ve also witnessed how they handle some of the league’s best players,” Irving went on. “They really do want to prevail. Therefore, you must give them credit.” This reply represents a significant change in Irving’s attitude toward Boston fans, whom he has offended in the past, particularly after he trampled on the Celtics emblem during a postseason game at TD Garden in May 2021. Irving shared his thoughts on X (formerly known as Twitter) after having a difficult game on Friday, highlighting the need of “stay poised and accepting all the tests on this journey.”
Although the game against the Celtics was a “litmus test” for Dallas, Irving said after the loss that the club is focused on taking what it learned in front of its matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. “Yes, it was a high-stakes match between two of the league’s greatest teams, and you could tell that some of our mistakes, both mental and otherwise, were fully capitalized on. It was a true test of character. In the end, it’s just a regular season game.” “We have to get ready for a good game against the Sixers on Sunday, but we just take our lessons, man,” Irving said. Simply move on from it.
For the Mavericks, Irving has averaged 25.7 points, 5.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 49.1% from the field, 41.8 percent from 3-point range, and 89.1% from free throw range. He has persisted in giving Luka Doncic the essential backcourt support that the Mavs need as they aim to make the playoffs this year.
