Kyrie on heckling: 'There's only so much you can take'

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Nets' Kyrie Irving on heckling from Celtics fans: 'There's only so much you can take as a competitor'

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 4/17/22

The tense relationship between Brooklyn Nets superstar point guard Kyrie Irving and Boston Celtics fans is well-documented. Since departing "Beantown" following the 2018-2019 campaign, the hatred between the majority of Celtics fans and the seven-time All-Star appears to have only grown with each passing year.

The animosity was perhaps at an all-time high during Sunday's Game 1 of Boston and Brooklyn's Eastern Conference first-round playoff series though. While it didn't seem to impact Irving's play on the court (as he finished with a game-high 39 points), the Celtics were still able to escape with a thrilling, buzzer-beating victory.

"Uncle Drew" was admittedly frustrated following the contest and addressed the heckling fans, and his response to the crowd.

*CAUTION: The following tweets contain language that some readers may find offensive.

Kyrie: "When people start yelling p**** or b**** and f** you, and all this stuff there's only but so much you can 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."
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) April 17, 2022

On flipping off the fans, Kyrie Irving said it's the playoffs and if a fan is going to throw that energy his way he will throw it back. Asked on the hate he gets in Boston: "Embrace it. It's the dark side. Embrace it."
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) April 17, 2022

Kyrie.

(h/t @WestbrookHas2Go)

pic.twitter.com/lNEojR9b50
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 17, 2022

Irving will have to face the intense Boston crowd at least one more time, as Game 2 will take place at the TD Garden at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The series then shifts to Barclays Center for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday, April 25 respectively.

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