“I hope we could move past my Boston era, just a new paradigm, baby”: Kyrie Irving on his enemy no.1 tag at the TD Garden

Former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving is hopeful that the fans at the TD Garden can move past their strained relationship and remember some of his highlight performances.

It’s no secret now that Kyrie Irving doesn’t play well with authority. From forcing himself out of Cleveland to the anti-vaccination controversy in Brooklyn. Irving remains controversy’s favorite child as he gears to face his former team, the Celtics, in the first round of the playoffs.

The former champion spent two years in Boston, failing to live up to expectations, embroiled in rifts with teammates and the front office. The bad blood between the two parties continued to exist, despite Irving joining the Nets. Nonetheless, Irving’s recent statements suggest him extending an olive branch.

Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case if one observes his actions when visiting Boston in a Nets uniform. Whether it was him stomping on the Celtics logo or burning sage at the TD Garden, Irving held a big grudge against the Cs.

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Nonetheless, Irving wants to put all the bad memories behind him as he gears up to face the Celtics in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.

Kyrie Irving expects the Celtics fans to move forward from their soured relationship.

Kai spent two seasons with the Celtics, hoping to get past the shadow of LeBron James. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as Irving expected. Though he did have some memorable performances, the former Duke guard failed to mesh with the team.

In his two-years with the Celtics, Irving averaged 24.1 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 4.4 RPG. The former ASG MVP was 48.9% from the field and 40.4% from the 3-point line. However, the Celtics fans are in no mood to forgive Irving, especially post the stomping incident.

With a target painted on him as he returns to Boston, Irving said the following.

“I hope we could move past my Boston era and reflect on some of the highlights I left at TD Garden that they can replay. Move forward. Just a new paradigm, baby.”

Also read: “I would not want to play Brooklyn personally, they can singlehandedly win 4 out of 7 games”: Charles Barkley terms the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as scary

One can expect fireworks between the two supremely talented teams. In what many believe, the series between the Celtics and Nets will go down to the wire.