The Implosion Of The Brooklyn Nets Began After Kyrie Irving Disrespected ‘Lucky’ The Leprechaun In Boston

4 Min Read

Cast yourself back to May 31, 2021. The Brooklyn Nets have just beaten the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their first-round matchup in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. As the Nets looked to romp their way through the Eastern Conference playoffs by eliminating Boston in Game 4, the biggest talking point from the game was Kyrie Irving.

After the Nets had secured the win on Boston’s home court, Irving decided to walk on over to the center of the court and allegedly stomp the logo of the team he played for prior to joining Brooklyn. The logo features Celtics mascot ‘Lucky The Leprechaun’, a very respected figure in Celtics history as it’s been the mascot of the team since the days of Bill Russell’s dominance and prior.

The stomp sparked massive outrage that was soon forgotten as the Nets won Game 5 and went to the second round to face the eventual champions in the Milwaukee Bucks. However, the last time the Nets franchise was pointing in an upwards trajectory was after that series, with a Reddit user u/don_sook theorizing that the Nets downfall began when Kyrie disrespected Lucky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzxiaU-BOQ0

In the very next round, the Nets faced a barrage of injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden that made them less than competitive in the series. Kevin Durant could have still won the series for the Nets, but his foot was on the line of a possible game-winner in Game 7. The Nets were eliminated but poised to come back stronger.

At the start of the 21-22 season, the Nets were favorites to win the title but saw Kyrie Irving marred in a vaccine controversy as Irving refused to get the shot in New York, a state where he needed the vaccine to be allowed to compete and work. As a result, Irving sat out most of the season.

Irving sitting out led to James Harden asking out of the team and being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, who refused to suit up for the Nets in the season due to a back injury. The Nets would fall from being the best team in the East in December to becoming a play-in team and getting swept in the first round of the 2022 Playoffs.

The first-round sweep was handed out to the Nets by the same team Kyrie disrespected a year prior, the Boston Celtics. Since that loss, the Nets have seen both Kyrie and Kevin Durant express a desire to leave the team, with the Nets being forced to listen to offers for both their star players they took a bet on in 2019. 

Whether or not the basketball Gods actually curse teams that disrespect Lucky is obviously not known, but future players may be a little more cautious when they come to the TD Garden in Boston in the future. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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