BOSTON, MA – MARCH 06 Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics guards Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets during a game at TD Garden on March 6, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Kyrie Irving may have been an All-Star in both of his seasons with the Boston Celtics, but that doesn’t mean he has a great relationship with Celtics fans.
It’s been a few years since Kyrie Irving left the Boston Celtics for the Brooklyn Nets, but things apparently haven’t improved between him and his former team’s fans.
As The Athletic‘s Alex Schiffer tweets, Irving explained that he doesn’t ever expect to receive a warm and friendly welcome whenever he plays in Boston. According to Irving, the whole dynamic is very similar to that of a pretty bad breakup.
As Irving very eloquently explains, Celtics fans are like “a scorned girlfriend” who happens to want a “text back.”
It’s safe to say Irving didn’t exactly win over any Boston fans with that quote.
Brooklyn Nets: Kyrie Irving sounds off on Boston Celtics fans
All that said, as it turns out, things didn’t work out all that well for Irving and the Nets. Despite the phenomenal quote and some truly impressive play from Irving’s teammate Kevin Durant, the Celtics were just too much for the Nets Sunday evening.
While Irving and Durant may have combined for 56 points, Celtics star Jayson Tatum scored 54 points on his own to lead Boston to a 126-120 win over Brooklyn. That sort of dominance by Tatum is just simply difficult to overcome and the Nets weren’t able to beat one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. It happens.
With the win, Boston holds onto the fifth seed with a 39-27 record. Meanwhile, Brooklyn has a losing record at 32-33 and has the ninth seed.