Kyrie Irving curse, explained: Celtics fans convinced they have upper hand thanks to losing streak

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving stands between the Boston Celtics and their 18th NBA championship. It's a potential storybook ending for Boston fans — a chance for redemption and revenge. Not too long ago, Irving was supposed to be the Celtics point guard. Instead, he became their villain.

Irving's villain arc with the Celtics began in 2017. Boston traded Isaiah Thomas and a slew of depth pieces and draft picks to acquire Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017.

In the 2017-18 season, the Celtics plugged Irving into a starting lineup that featured rookie Jayson Tatum, a young Jaylen Brown, a not-as-old Al Horford, and Gordon Hayward. Boston lost Irving to a knee injury before the playoffs but still managed to make it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Heading into the following season, Irving took the microphone during a season-ticket holder event at TD Garden and committed to signing an extension in Boston.

"If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here," Irving said.

But after a tumultuous season that was rife with locker-room drama and off-court issues, Irving's tone quickly changed. In February 2019, Irving was asked if he still planned to return. "I don't owe anybody s---," Irving said. "Ask me July 1st."

Irving ultimately joined Kevin Durant with the Brooklyn Nets the following offseason.

Kyrie Irving's stomp on Celtics logo began a losing streak

Then, Irving did the unforgivable. The Nets faced Boston in the first-round of Eastern Conference playoffs in 2021, and Irving capped a 141-126 Brooklyn victory in Game 4 by emphatically stomping on Lucky the Leprechaun's midcourt logo at TD Garden.

The act was met with vitriol from Celtics fans and former players alike. Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis both spoke out about Irving's disrespectful stomp.

"All's fair in competitions," Irving responded. "When emotions are running high anything can happen, and I just want to go in there with a poise and a composure and not pay attention to any of the extra noise."

If you ask fans, Lucky the Leprechaun didn't take too kindly to Irving's action. Since the stomp, Irving has been on a 12-game losing streak against the Celtics, including both regular season and postseason games. The streak carried over from his time in Brooklyn to Dallas.

Despite moving to the Western Conference, Irving has found himself facing off against the Celtics once again. This time, it's for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Boston rolled to a decisive 107-89 victory in Game 1, then dispatched Irving's Mavericks in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals.

Through two games of the NBA Finals, Irving has a combined 28 points, eight assists, six fouls, and five turnovers. He has played 78 minutes and gone 13-of-37 from the field while missing all of his 3-point shots.

Here's a look at all of Irving's losses against Boston since his (un)Lucky stomp.

Irving's losing streak against Celtics

Kyrie will have to break some major recent trends for the Mavericks to upend the Celtics in the NBA Finals.