Kelly Oubre Jr., the newest member of the Phoenix Suns, was well-motivated in their game against the Boston Celtics primarily because the latter's fans don't really like him.
After their 111-103 victory over the Celtics, Oubre confessed that the booing made him produce more than usual. Per Boston.com, Oubre said:
Kelly Oubre on his performance tonight: "I think I did a little bit extra today, because they don't really like me here."
— Boston.com Celtics News (@BDCCeltics) December 20, 2018
In his first game as a member of the Suns, the 23-year-old finished with 13 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. On top of his decent stat line, he also nailed a 3-pointer with under a minute left which gave the Suns a safe cushion. And as the game progressed, Oubre Jr.'s shot proved to be the dagger.
Kelly Oubre Jr.'s rivalry with the Celtics goes back when the former was still a member of the Washington Wizards. Celtics fans have always been a rowdy bunch. And in the 2017 Conference Semifinals featuring the Celtics and the Wizards, Oubre Jr. got a dose of boos laced with profanities. It was because of a prior incident in the series which featured him shoving Kelly Olynyk after a hard screen.
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/860295041927008260
Oubre Jr. served a suspension after the incident. And when he came back, the boos got louder. Per Candace Bucker of the Washington Post, Oubre Jr. said then:
“A lot of people are going to be booing me tonight,” Oubre said, beaming. “They know who I am, so it’s definitely a blessing so we got to go out here and get this big win tonight.”
More than a year after the incident, Kelly Oubre Jr. still carries the same unfazed attitude. It seems that the louder the boos get, the more motivated Oubre Jr. becomes.
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