If any player knows how badly the Boston Celtics want to close out the Mavericks in Game 5 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals on June 17 (June 18, Singapore time), it is Dallas guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving spent two seasons with Boston (from 2017 to 2019), but he has been a villain since leaving to sign with the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2019.
Chants ragging Irving frequently echoed throughout TD Garden in Games 1 and 2 - a pair of Mavericks losses before Boston hit the road and came out of Dallas with a 3-1 lead in the series.
Said the point guard: "Let's just call it what it is. When the fans are cheering 'Kyrie sucks' they feel like they have a psychological edge, and that's fair."
With the Celtics now knocking on the door of their 18th title, Irving has seemingly found peace with his place in Boston history as he prepares to return to a hostile environment.
This story is from the June 18, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the June 18, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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