Getty Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets facing off against the Boston Celtics.
After a rocky exit from the Boston Celtics during 2019 free agency, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving’s return to the TD Garden during the 2021 playoffs went exactly how many expected it to. Irving was serenaded with a chorus of boos every time his name was announced, or he touched the ball. The most controversial part of the series came during Game 4 in Boston. Following the Nets’ victory, which gave them a 3-1 lead in the series, Kyrie appeared to stomp his foot on the Celtics mascot and half-court logo, ‘Lucky’, which was viewed by many as a disrespectful gesture, that defined Irving’s true feelings toward his former team.
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Kyrie Irving Breaks Silence About Stomp on Celtics Logo
Irving’s decision to stomp on the Celtics mascot was met with harsh criticisms from several former Celtics players, including Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett and Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis who were a part of the 2008 championship squad. But Irving says that in the heat of competition, anything can happen.
“All’s fair in competitions. When emotions are running high, anything can happen, and I just want to go in there with poise and a composure & not pay attention to any of the extra noise,” Irving said of his decision to stomp on the Celtics’ mascot to Brian Lewis of the “New York Post” on April 15.
Kyrie Irving, on if he relished the role of Boston villain after stomping on Lucky: “All’s fair in competitions. When emotions are running high anything can happen, and I just want to go in there with a poise and a composure & not pay attention to any of the extra noise.” #Nets
Irving also says that he is particularly excited for the Nets rematch with the Celtics in this year’s playoff series. Last year, when the two squads faced off, Celtics’ star Jaylen Brown was out with an injury. Now that both squads are (sort of) healthy this year, Irving sees it as an opportunity to prove that last year’s gentleman’s sweep wasn’t a fluke.
“I wouldn’t say we’d like to avoid them in any way. This is the best part of the story that could be written,” Irving said per Brian Lewis of the “New York Post”. “We go against Boston & have a chance to redeem ourselves. They have a healthy team; we have a healthy team; now we get to see who’s (better).”
Jaylen Brown Sounds off on His Relationship With Kyrie
Irving may have a rocky relationship with Boston fans, but it seems to be the opposite with his former Celtics teammates. Celtics star Jaylen Brown says that although he and Irving did not always see eye to eye during his tenure in Boston, their relationship has strengthened since his departure.
“Off the court, me and Kyrie might have started off with a lot of bumps in the road. But as of lately, Kyrie is somebody that I’ve connected with. Somebody that I call a friend, a brother. Somebody that calls me to pick my brain at this point,” Jaylen Brown told NBC Sports Boston on April 14 via “MassLive”.
“It wasn’t like that when we played together. We bumped heads a lot. But it’s funny now in hindsight. Kyrie, he talks to me, hits me up all the time and our relationship has grown a lot since then.”
Despite a rollercoaster ride during the regular season, the Nets have given themselves a chance to compete for a title after securing a playoff berth. It will be interesting to see how far they can go as a low-seeded playoff team.
READ NEXT: Kyrie Irving Says Its Time for Celtics Fans To Move On From His Boston Exit