Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving, shared his thoughts on the experience of engaging with fans in Boston as the NBA Finals continue.
Despite facing a barrage of boos from Celtics fans in Game 1, Irving maintains a positive outlook on the spirited atmosphere of TD Garden. Boston recorded a comfortable win (107-89) as Irving was limited to just 12 points on 6-for-19 shooting.
Ahead of Game 2, Irving was asked about getting booed by Celtics fans and how he handles that.
“By realizing that I’ve been in the league for 13 years and I’ve been playing against the Celtics for quite a few years and I have quite a few playoff series against them, whether wins or losses,” he said. “So I just try to be aware that this is a new space that I’m in as one of the leaders of the team with a new group and giving them that peace of mind.
“Like I said, when things get tough, we’re going against a very historic team in the Boston Celtics, but we’re a great team too and we earned our way to be here. So we just got to remember that.
“Engaging with fans here in Boston is always fun. Like I said last week, it’s something I turned the page over on to but people continue to ask me about it and what I think about it, which is cool too. This is what makes sports fun. This is what makes the stories fun,” Irving said.
With Game 2 looming, Irving remains focused on the task at hand, emphasizing the collective effort required to succeed against formidable opponents like the Celtics.
“Getting a chance to go against the giant like this, whether it’d be just talking about the team or talking about the environment and the fans and how crazy it can get, this is what I imagined it to be like, getting to this stage again, earning our way to be here with my teammates and being able to put our best foot forward going up against the best of the best. That’s all you dream of. Everything else is just extracurricular,” Irving said.
As the NBA Finals unfold, Irving’s ability to maintain composure amidst the fervent atmosphere of TD Garden will be key to the Mavericks’ success.
