Dallas guard Kyrie Irving has no fear of what his reception may be at TD Garden
“There’s no fear out here, man. It’s basketball,”
At this point, Kyrie Irving has more than a decade of experience dealing with the TD Garden crowd.
He’s one of the few people on earth who knows what it’s like to be cheered as a marquee player for the Celtics and booed as a logo-stomping, sage-burning opponent.
On Wednesday, Irving talked about his experience with Boston fans and offered some advice to younger players who may find themselves in similar positions down the road.
“You just got to breathe through it,” Irving said. “To all my youngins out there that are dealing with some of the crowd reactions, what they’re saying to you, you have to breathe, realize that is not as hostile as you think it is. Don’t overthink it.
“Been able to work through that and understand that some of that is anxiety, some of that is nervousness. It could all be turned into a strength.”
The Celtics swept the Mavericks during the regular season, and some Boston fans will be more than ready to zero in on Irving as a target for heckling.
Irving said he will carry a fearless approach into TD Garden for Game 1 Thursday night, regardless of what is said to him.
“There’s no fear out here, man. It’s basketball,” Irving said. “The fans are going to say what they’re going to say. I appreciate them and their relationship they have to the game. But it’s about the players at the end of the day.”
Irving played a key role on the LeBron James-led Cavaliers who eliminated the Celtics in seven games on their way to a championship in 2016.
He said being back in the NBA Finals eight years later is a reminder of how fleeting such opportunities can be.
“When you ascend to this level, you put in a lot of hard work, you beat some of the best in the world,” Irving said. “Competing with some of the best in the world, I looked at it as, oh I’m going to be here every single year.”
“At this age I’ve been through what I’ve been through, been able to come out on the other side. I look at it as an opportunity that I don’t want to take for granted. I want it to last as long as possible emotionally just because of how much it took to get here.”
During an appearance on “Mind the Game”, a podcast that he co-hosts with JJ Redick, James said he considers Irving to be “the most gifted player the NBA” has ever seen and that he missed having him as a teammate.
Irving said the feeling was mutual, and that he looks to draw upon his past experiences with James to help him during this series.
“I definitely think about those times,” Irving said. “Now we’re here in the present where we’re able to reflect but also now I’m at this stage, able to use some of the formulas that I was taught from him, some of the great teachers that have come before me.
“I feel like I’ve been built for this moment because I’ve gone through some of the things I’ve gone through in my past with some of the guys that have transcended the game.”
Word of advice
Rockets forward Jabari Smith stopped by to ask Jayson Tatum for some advice at his media conference. Tatum was surprised to see the 21-year-old Smith.
Smith was picked No. 3 overall in 2022 and was a second-team all-rookie selection in 2023. He asked Tatum what he would say to a young player who isn’t quite living up to the lofty expectations set for him.
Tatum said he had been there before, told Smith to keep working hard and enjoy his career, and then laughed at himself for sounding like an old person.
“In the sense of your career, I would say, man, enjoy it. There’s going to be some great times,” Tatum said. There’s going to be some times that aren’t so great. It’s okay to be upset because that means you care, right? You want to be great. People believe that you can. They just try to rush the process.
“It takes however long it takes. But as long as you work hard, you believe, you got the right support system. Obviously, you do down in Houston. I know all those guys, coaches. Everything will take care of itself, how it’s supposed to.”
Ready to rumble
Kristaps Porzingis, who is expected to return to the Celtics lineup for Game 1 Thursday night, said he can’t wait to get back on the floor.
“It’s going to be goose bumps, for sure,” Porzingis said. “Especially not playing for a while, then coming back in this kind of environment. It’s going to be special. Going to be goose bumps, for sure. I’m really, really, really looking forward to it.”
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