Why does Boston hate Kyrie Irving?
Now, we know Boston sports fans are at the top of the list for the most passionate fan base, and TD Garden is a hostile place to play for most. When Irving returns to the Garden, Celtics fans boo and taunt him mercilessly. Irving only played two seasons for the Celtics, so how did the relationship get so bad so fast?
Kyrie Irving was drafted 1st overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He lived up to the hype early in his career, winning Rookie of the Year in 2012, playing in his first All-Star game in 2013, and winning All-Star MVP in 2014.
In the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving hit the 3-point shot to seal the game and gave Cleveland its first NBA title.Surprisingly, after the 2017 season, Irving requested a trade from the Cavaliers and joined the Boston Celtics.
In the two seasons with the Celtics, Kyrie's individual performance shined, but the team did not fare as well. In the 2017-2018 season, the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but without Irving, as he was sidelined for the duration of the postseason after knee surgery.
In the 2018-2019 season, the Celtics were favorites to reach the finals out of the Eastern Conference. They were eliminated in the second round, but Irving made All-NBA Second Team.
It was obviously a disappointing season, but Irving was expected to return to the Celtics, even publicly announcing his plans to return. After the 2019 season, rumors started to circulate about Irving's lack of leadership and commitment to the team, and even having a bad relationship with the Celtics' young superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
In a shocking turn, Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets. After this, there was no turning back for Celtics fans.
Irving would return to TD Garden as a member of the Nets, where he proceeded to burn sage to “cleanse the energy,” stomp on the logo at center court, and even gave the middle finger to the fans during a game. In a recent interview, Irving expressed remorse for how he acted during that time in his life, saying he wasn't his best self.
Tonight, Irving will return to TD Garden, this time as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, to take on the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Don't expect Celtics fans to give Irving any grace in his return. The Garden will be as hostile as ever with a championship on the line.
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