By Jacob Calvin Meyer - The Washington Times - Monday, April 18, 2022

The most intense battle of the NBA postseason isn’t between two teams. It’s the hatred between Boston Celtics fans and Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving.

The vitriol was out in full force on Sunday in Game 1 of the series between the two Eastern Conference teams. Celtics fans were as ruthless as expected toward Irving, who played two seasons in Boston before leveraging his way out of town. And Irving responded in kind with multiple middle fingers. 

Irving was seen flipping off Celtics fans multiple times during the game, which Boston won 115-114 thanks to Jayson Tatum’s buzzer beater. Irving, who is no stranger to controversy after missing half of the season due to his standoff with New York City’s vaccine mandate, told reporters after the game that his one-finger salutes were his way of keeping “the same energy” as Celtics fans had for him.

“It’s nothing new when I come into this building what it’s going to be like — but it’s the same energy they have for me, I’m going to have the same energy for them,” Irving said. “And it’s not every fan, I don’t want to attack every fan, every Boston fan. When people start yelling ’p****’ or ’b****’ and ’f*** you’ and all this stuff, there’s only but so much you take as a competitor. We’re the ones expected to be docile and be humble, take a humble approach. F*** that, it’s the playoffs. This is what it is.”

While the Nets lost, it wasn’t because of Irving’s performance. He scored a team-high 39 points in 42 minutes, adding six assists, five rebounds and four steals. Game 2 of the series is Wednesday at 7 p.m.

• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.

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