Kyrie Irving has addressed the moment he flipped off Celtics fans during Brooklyn’s first-round playoff series against Boston in 2022.
Tensions were still running high after Irving’s messy Boston departure three years earlier.
“I will say last time in Boston, I don’t think that was the best — not this regular season, but when we played in the playoffs and everyone saw me flip off the birds and kind of lose my sh*t a little bit — that wasn’t a great reflection of who I am and how I like to compete on a high level,” Irving said on Monday. “It wasn’t a great reflection on my end towards the next generation on what it means to control your emotions in that type of environment, no matter what people are yelling at you.
“I’m built for these moments, to be able to handle circumstances like that, and I’ve been able to grow since then. So of course it’s going to be a hectic environment, but I’m looking forward to it and I see it as a healthy relationship that I have with the fans. I almost think about ‘Gladiator,’ just winning the crowd over. It is good to hear the TD Garden silent when you’re playing well. They still respect great basketball.”
Irving also spoke about being ready for the hostile environment that’s waiting for him in Boston, where the first two games of the NBA Finals will be played.
The Mavericks star said he was in a much better place to handle that hostile environment than he was a couple of years ago.
“I think I’m better at consolidating kind of the emotions now or being aware of what it’s going to be like,” Irving said. “We call it animosity, we call it hate, we call it, ‘It’s going to be hell in Boston.’ I mean, there are real, live circumstances going on in the world that are bigger than the basketball, kind of the competitive side of things and answering those questions.”
It’s been an incredible postseason run for Irving, with averages of 22.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists in these playoffs.
Game 1 of the Finals tips off on Thursday at TD Garden.
