Kyrie Irving to miss Friday’s game against Boston Celtis with a right shoulder injury, according to Sports Center.
News broke on Thursday afternoon that Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving will, in fact, miss Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics following a reported right shoulder injury. This does not bode well for Irving just days after fans littered the court with anti-Irving sentiment.
Boston Celtic’s Kendrick Perkins event tweeted that Irving had planned his injury in order to avoid having to return to Boston.
Irving took to Instagram shortly after to explain exactly how he felt about the fans reaction to his injury.
“It happens all the time and tonight just shows how Sports/Entertainment will always be ignorant and obtrusive,” Irving wrote in a statement that was shared via an Instagram story. “It’s one big SHOW that means very little in the real world.
“It’s about doing it for the fans and organization that love you so much? Think again, it’s a GAME, and it’s promoted as a Fandom experience for ticket buyers and viewers at home while defacing who people truly are as PEOPLE.”
Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens also spoke of the fan reaction, clearly in support of Irving’s sentiments.
“That’s one of the things that, unfortunately, when you’re really, really good at something, the level of scrutiny is even higher,” Stevens said. “He’s one of the best players in the NBA. The level of scrutiny is unfair, but it comes with the territory of all those guys. That’s why it’s so important that we constantly remind ourselves of how good they are.”
The animosity from the fans is not shocking as Irving is a former Celtic, who left for Brooklyn on terms that weren’t exactly friendly.