The Dallas Mavericks returned to the TD Garden for their fifth battle against the Boston Celtics, hoping to bounce back in the NBA Finals series. However, facing the unforgiving home crowd wasn’t that easy for their former Cs guard, Kyrie Irving, who received constant boos on Monday, just like the first two games of the series.
Following their loss in Dallas, Boston forward Jayson Tatum asked the fans to loudly show their support at their home game, which he knew would distract Kyrie. The Boston Loyals followed it with “Kyrie sucks” chants in the first half, making it hard for the guard to concentrate on his game.
The Mavs knew they would have to make desperate efforts to secure a win, but the fans controlled Kyrie’s mind, who managed to hit five shots from the floor on target while missing 11. The 32-year-old shot 3-of-9 from behind the arc, along with two accurate free throws, and finished the night with 15 points, three rebounds, nine assists, and a steal in the 106-88 loss.
Since leaving the Celtics, the Mavs guard has been constantly ridiculed by the fans, which affected his statistics, and this series was no different. While playing at the American Airlines Center, Kyrie had an average of 28 points in two games, which dropped to 14.33 in three games at the Boston arena. The former Cavs star’s recent revelation could be one reason for the fans’ attitude towards him.
Kyrie Irving on His Standing With Celtics Fans
Speaking to the media on Sunday, Kyrie disclosed that he didn’t willingly join the most successful franchise in the NBA and couldn’t live up to the fans’ expectations, gradually leading to their hatred for him.
Kyrie said, “As a player, they expect you to buy into the Celtics pride. If you don’t, you’re going to be outed. I’m one of the people who is on the outs, I did it to myself. They don’t welcome me with a warm embrace.”
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Kyrie regretted his actions during the two seasons at the Celtics (2017-2019) and wished he had made the decisions more maturely, which could have changed the situation.
Also Read: Kyrie Irving Unleashes Fierce Reality Check on Celtics Before Game 5 of NBA Finals
