Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets are taking on the Boston Celtics in a preseason matchup at TD Garden. With Irving returning to TD Garden for the first time since he left the team, Paul Pierce believes Irving will have to deal with heckling from Boston fans until the end of his career.

“We hold grudges,” Pierce said of Celtics fans on Friday’s episode of “The Jump” on ESPN, per NESN. “We definitely hold grudges. He would have got it (from fans). He would have got lit up if the fans were out there.

“This is going to continue every year until his career is over every time he comes to the Garden if there’s fans in there,” he said.

Seeing that the COVID-19 pandemic is still going on, Kyrie Irving won't have to deal with Boston fans at TD Garden possibly until next season. In 2019-20, in his first year with the Nets, Irving was sidelined with a shoulder injury in both of Brooklyn's road contests versus the Celtics.

Therefore, Irving has yet to face Boston at TD Garden since he departed from the team after two seasons. Regardless of whether or not he's been active in their previous meetings, fans of the Celtics have made it clear that Irving is public enemy No. 1.

Before Friday night's matchup with Boston, Irving was seen burning sage at TD Garden, perhaps attempting to rid of the bad vibes that occurred during his time with the franchise. While Irving won't have to play in front of live fans at TD Garden until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, it's evident that fans won't hold back once they have a chance to attend games against the Nets.