Brooklyn Netsguard Kyrie IrvingThe NBA fined him $50,000 after he flipped offNumerous Boston CelticsTwo occasions when fans were present during Sunday’s Game 1
Byron Spruell (NBA president of league operations) released Tuesday that Irving was facing a fine for “making obscene gestures at the playing court, and directing profane words toward the spectator stand.”
Irving, who lost the Nets’ game 115-114 to the Nets, said he was responding a crowd word and would have “the same energy for the fans as they did for him”.
Irving stated, “When people start shouting ‘p—y’ or ‘b —-” and ‘f—you’ and all that stuff, there’s only so much you can take as a competitor.” We’re expected to be docile, humble, and take a humble approach. It’s the playoffs. This is how it is.
Game 2 of this series is Tuesday night.
Irving, who was a Boston player for two seasons between 2017 and 2019, stated Sunday that he had gotten used to being booed by Celtics supporters since leaving the team. Irving was hit with a water bottle last season by someone in the crowd while he was making his way to the exit.
He said that there was sometimes “subtle racism” from the TD Garden crowd, and acknowledged that he had heard some racist comments.
This report used information from ESPN’s Nick Friedell.