Kyrie Irving knows all about the pressure one faces when joining the Boston Celtics, having played for the franchise from 2017 to 2019. Irving is now playing against the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals and in the lead-up to Game 5, the Dallas Mavericks star was asked what it’s like for a player to come to Boston.
“You just expect to have a magnifying glass on you everywhere you go,” Irving said. “I don’t think Boston appreciates being kind of second class to New York in terms of the media capital of the world, but this is a media capital of the world as well. There’s a lot of history here off the court.
“The community is integrated into this Celtics team, that’s probably the best way I can put it,” Irving continued. “The community is what makes the Celtics great here, the Boston pandemonium. That’s what makes this space so loud and so special, and they take pride in it.
“If any player is coming here, getting drafted here, thinking about coming here for free agency or getting traded here, I just think do your homework, man,” Irving stated. “And make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. That’s something I could offer.”
"If any player is coming here… Do your homework, and make sure you know what you're getting yourself into."
Kyrie Irving talks about what it's like playing for Boston… pic.twitter.com/P5u7gLEGgn
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 16, 2024
I think that might well be perceived as a bit of a shot at the Celtics and everything that surrounds that organization. I do suppose, though, that playing for them or a franchise like the Los Angeles Lakers, requires you to do a little bit of homework, considering their histories.
Irving didn’t necessarily do that when he was traded to the Celtics by the Cleveland Cavaliers. His time with the franchise proved to be rather frustrating and he chose to join the Brooklyn Nets when he hit free agency in 2019.
Kyrie Irving Admits He Only Has Himself To Blame For Celtics Fans Hating Him
Irving’s departure made him public enemy number one in Boston and he has been showered with boos whenever he has played at TD Garden. That was the case in Games 1 and 2 of these Finals and Irving said he only has himself to blame for Celtics fans hating him.
“You have to show your respect here and I think that’s where I struggled with initially, was here to be a great player here, about winning championships about leading the team. That’s what they expect you to do as a player.”
“They expect you to seamlessly buy into the Celtics’ pride, buy into everything Celtics. And if you don’t, then you’ll be outed. I think that’s on the outs. I did it to myself. They don’t welcome me with warm embrace, even though I know a lot of people in the organization and my friends still here.”
“But yeah, it was just a doing to myself. And that’s what I was talking about in terms of stepping to choices. But looking back on it, definitely would have showed my respect and had more of a counsel around me from Boston Celtics that came before me to explain what the pressure is like.”
The hostile reception that Irving received seemed to have affected him a lot in those first two games. The eight-time All-Star only averaged 14.0 points on 35.1% shooting from the field in Boston in this series. On the flip side, he averaged 28.0 points on 50.0% shooting from the field in the two games in Dallas.
If the Mavericks are stave off elimination in Game 5 in Boston, they’ll need Irving to block out that noise and play at his best. Is the 32-year-old capable of doing that? Well, the first two games would indicate he can’t, but I wouldn’t completely write off a player like him.
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