Although Kyrie Irving didn't get the chance to play for the Brooklyn Nets during their November 28 game against his former team, the Boston Celtics, fans at the TD Garden made it clear that they do not appreciate what the All-Star point guard did to their team during the offseason.
Irving was loudly booed in his return to Boston since joining the Nets this summer.
Another former Celtic point guard decided to chime in on what happened. Isaiah Thomas said that Irving choosing to leave the team is probably the main reason why fans reacted negatively during his return, per Logan Mullen of NESN.com.
“It was probably the way he left (that caused Celtics fans to boo him), but you know it was his decision,”
It is worth noting that Irving had an interview with ESPN last year where he said he's fully committed to staying with the Celtics long-term. However, as Boston continued struggled for much of last season, Irving's relationship with his teammates got sour, which eventually led to his departure.
Still, Thomas said that fans shouldn't be too hard on Kyrie.
“…he might’ve been going through some real life stuff so I understand how the fans are, but you’ve got to take that into consideration. You never know what he was really going through.”
Despite losing Irving in free agency, the Celtics are still playing as one of the top teams in the league. They are currently third in the Eastern Conference standings with a 16-5 record. On the other hand, the Nets are starting to rack up wins. They are victorious in seven of their last 10 games, and they are doing it without Irving, who has missed their last 11 games due to an injury.
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