"Boston is in the way between our goal." Those were Kyrie Irving's fighting words after the Mavericks clinched their spot in the 2024 NBA Finals with a 124-103 Game 5 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves . Irving had a controversial two-year stint with the Celtics - the team that now stands in his way of winning second NBA championship - between 2017-2019 that ended with him becoming public enemy number one.
After stating his desire to re-sign with the franchise that birthed legends like Bill Russell and Larry Bird , Irving left to sign with Brooklyn alongside Kevin Durant as a free agent in the summer of 2019. Kyrie instantly became a villain and was routinely booed whenever he returned to TD Garden. In Game 4 of the Nets' first-round playoff series against the Cs in 2021, Irving had 39 points and 11 rebounds to give Brooklyn a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The TD Garden crowd rained down chants of "F*** you Kyrie" throughout the game and afterwards the mercurial guard fired back in controversial fashion. As the teams left the court, Irving appeared to stomp and wipe his foot on the face of the Celtics' logo, known as Lucky the Leprechaun. Sports fans are nothing if not tribal and Kyrie incensed an entire fanbase who were already baying for blood.
His impudent gesture was perceived as a personal and unnecessary shot at the very heart of the Celtics franchise and smacked of disrespect. Many a Boston legend called out Kyrie for his below-the-belt act, including Cedric Maxwell.
