Kyrie Irving stomping on the Celtics logo in 2021 was a move to show off his success with the Nets and served as a victory lap against his former team at the time. But that disrespectful move has come back to haunt him in the years since, as Irving has gone 1-11 against the Celtics since he stopped on Lucky the Leprechaun.
Irving famously stomped on the Celtics logo after the Nets won Game 4 of their first-round series in the 2021 playoffs, a move that angered a lot of Celtics fans at the time. While he and the Nets were able to close out the series in the next game in Brooklyn, Irving has suffered against the Celtics ever since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rffiHq4ERgE
After the 2021 series, Irving has had a rough go whenever playing against the Celtics, losing all 11 of his games against them, including a 4-0 sweep with the Nets in 2022. While he has turned his career around since joining the Mavericks, the curse of Lucky has followed him ever since.
In the 11 games Irving has played against the Celtics since 2021, he has averaged 20.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.72 blocks per game. Irving has had poor shooting nights in each of these games, going just 41.3% from the field, and 27.5% from the field.
Irving had a poor game last night as well, scoring just 12 points, along with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Kyrie Irving shot 6-19 from the field, a meager 31% from the field, and went 0-5 from the three-point line. It was a poor showing from Irving against his former team.
Celtics fans were thrilled to see Irving have such a poor performance. Their hatred of Irving has not simmered at all in the years since he left. In fact, Celtics fans were spotted stomping on a Kyrie Irving blow-up doll outside the arena after the game.
Celtics fans stomp out a Kyrie blow up doll 😳
(🎥 @2024Boston_ ) pic.twitter.com/6lHws7xQe0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 7, 2024
Perhaps Irving will use this disrespect from the fanbase as motivation for Game 2, as he and the Mavericks look to get their win back and steal a game on the road. Irving will have to step up and deliver at a much higher level to get the Mavericks back in the series.
Kyrie Irving Unfazed By Reception From Celtics Fans
Kyrie Irving spoke after Game 1 about his struggles against the Celtics. Irving noted that he was a little surprised by how Celtics fans reacted to him, expecting a more vocal and negative reception than the one he got.
“It’s basketball at the end of the day. Being in this environment, I’m used to it at this point,” said Irving via Tomer Azarly. “Earlier in my career, there was a different relationship that I had with Boston.”
“Just being able to come here and be settled with a veteran group and now I’m here as a veteran. Over the past few years here and in the regular season, I thought it was gonna be a little louder in here. I expect the same things going into Game 2.”
Irving and the Mavericks will have to be better if they want to win the NBA championship this year. They will have hope, as the Celtics won Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, and even took a 2-1 lead over the Warriors, but would end up losing the NBA championship to the Warriors. The Mavericks need to hang in there and start picking up some wins.
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