Kyrie Irving hopes fans keep it all ball on Friday night for game three between his Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics.
Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving is already expecting the worst from Boston fans. The former Celtic did not hesitate to send a warning when asked about returning to TD Garden for game three on Friday.
Irving pointed at both subtle and not-so-subtle racist comments made by Boston fans in the past and politely asked the crowd to stick to basketball.
Kyrie Irving on going back to Boston for Games 3 and 4: “Hopefully we can keep it basketball, no belligerence, subtle racism, people yelling sh-t from the crowd.” If it happens? “It is what it is.” #Nets #Celtics #NBA
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) May 26, 2021
Irving has clearly experienced crowd racism in Boston in the past, but he knows he’s not alone.
“I’m not the only one who can attest to this,” Irving told Malika Andrews of ESPN. “The whole world knows it.”
Kyrie Irving, in part, on returning to TD Garden for Game 3: "Hopefully we can just keep it strictly basketball, there's not belligerence or racism going on. Subtle racism... I'm not the only one who can attest to this... The whole world knows it."
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 26, 2021
NBA Playoffs: Kyrie Irving hopes for no crowd racism in Boston return
Irving also knows his request to keep it about basketball may be denied, and seems somewhat resigned to that being the case. A seven-time All-Star, Irving is no stranger to adversity. With his Nets up 2-0 in the series so far, expect him to take the high road and let his play do the talking.
If Twitter is any litmus test for what to expect Friday, some fans are already warning Irving to bring earmuffs to the Garden. Others, presumably of the green-wearing variety, say he’s just making his excuses in advance.
Here at FanSided, we stand with Irving in this case. Racism has no place in sports.