Getty Kyrie Irving left) and Jaylen Brown of the Celtics
The last time the Brooklyn Nets were in Boston’s TD Garden was Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal matchup with the Boston Celtics. It was a high drama game as a fan threw a water bottle that connected with Kyrie Irving. It was also the same game that Irving seemingly stomped on “Lucky” the Celtics mascot which warranted harsh criticisms from ex-players Kevin Garnett and Glen “Big Baby” Davis. Kyrie is still not with the Nets as he has been banned from all team activities until he gets the required Coronavirus vaccine, but Brooklyn was still able to secure the win in their return to Boston.
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Jaylen Brown Tributes Kyrie Irving During Loss to Nets
Despite a somewhat bitter breakup between Kyrie and the Celtics, Irving still has great relationships with all of his teammates. During the Nets win’ over Boston, Celtics star Jaylen Brown paid tribute to Irving by wearing his debut signature sneaker, the Nike Kyrie 1 “All-Star Game” editions.
Jaylen against the Nets tonight.
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Irving Still Has Love for His Former Celtics Teammates
Many thought that Irving would re-sign with the Celtics during the 2019 NBA free agency period. But before the clock could strike 12 to mark the official start of free agency, Irving already knew that he was heading to the Nets with Kevin Durant. Although he has moved on from the Celtics, Irving still has love for his former teammates.
“Honestly. I’m grateful to be able to have relationships with a lot of these guys who are still here, guys who aren’t here still. And, at the end of the day, we went to war together,” Irving said of his former Celtics teammates in December 2020 via Boston.com.
“And I respect all those young men down there. We’re not even young. We’re just young kings growing in a business where we want to do what makes us happy. To see Jayson, get better, to see Jaylen get better, to see these guys mature and be in the positions they’re in, I’m nothing but proud of them. To see other guys be happy, that’s all I could want.”
James Harden Sounds off on the State of the Nets
When the news came down on Kyrie being excluded from play until he receives the coronavirus vaccine, it was clear that the entire dynamic of the team would change. But the Nets who have had an up and down season have remained even-keeled through everything. Never too high, never too low, just coming out, playing hard every game, and living with the results.
“One thing about it is that we got a professional group. They come in and they work. We try to do the game plan and we did get it in, but just trying to get a little more personality out of them. Trying to get a little more communication out of them; even off the court. I think that goes a long way. It’s still early, but I feel like I’m overly-talking sometimes. We got a good group. That’s all I can say,” Harden said per NetsDaily.
“It feels really good, honestly. There’s joy. There’s excitement and people feel good and confident to go out there and do their job and know what they’re supposed to be doing night in and night out. Obviously missing Bruce [Brown], Joe [Harris], and Clax [Claxton] has been difficult but guys are stepping up. James [Johnson] has been in there. Sap [Paul Millsap] has been in there. Cam [Thomas] has been playing really good over these last few games, so it’s definitely going to take a collective effort, but we’re in a good place right now.”
The Nets are now winners of 4 games in a row and are sitting firmly in the driver’s seat for first place in the Eastern Conference playoff standings with a record of 14-5. They will have a big test in their next game against the Phoenix Suns who have won 14 games in a row.
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