Kyrie Irving faces discipline from NBA for ‘obscene gestures’ and ‘profane language’
Although Sunday’s Game 1 between the Celtics and Nets was an instant classic, the spectacular finish was not the only story. There’s been as much discussion about Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. During the game, Irving directed his middle finger (or fingers) at the Boston crowd on multiple occasions. After the game, he was caught on video exchanging profanities with another fan.
On Tuesday, the league took action against Irving. He’ll be fined $50,000 dollars as a result of the incidents. The league memo reads exactly, “Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 for making obscene gestures on the playing court and directing profane language toward the spectator stands.”
The animosity between Irving and Celtics fans goes back to his departure from the team in 2019. Prior to that, he had claimed he was planning on staying in Boston long-term. He ended up signing with the Brooklyn Nets instead, and since then has been booed whenever he touches the ball at TD Garden.
“It’s nothing new when I come into this building what it’s going to be like. But it’s the same energy they have for me – I’m going to have the same energy for them,” Irving said when asked about the gestures after Game 1. “This isn’t my first time at TD Garden so what you guys saw, what you guys think is entertainment, or the fans think is entertainment, all is fair in competition.”
Irving also said he plans to “embrace” the villain role throughout the series. “It’s the dark side. Embrace it,” he added.
Will this fine settle things down between Irving and the Boston fans? Or will things reach another level during Game 2? The series continues Wednesday night in Boston.
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How the Celtics came together on clutch final play in Game 1
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Playing Smart
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets defends Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter of Round 1 Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on April 17, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Marcus Smart in another year might’ve taken an ill-advised three with two defenders in his face. Instead, his unselfishness and intelligence shined on the game’s final play, as Smart made the best possible decision at the best possible time.
Smart’s growth as a player and teammate has been one of the keys to the team’s surge in the second half of the regular season, as he’s taken a clear backseat as a scorer to Tatum and Brown. He’s played to his strengths as a facilitator and defender, and taken the shot when the time was right.
For Smart, in this game, that time came in a sudden 11-point burst over a three-minute stretch in the third quarter, sparked by his steal of Kyrie Irving’s inbound pass and easy dunk. He finished with a box score-stuffing 20 points, six assists, seven rebounds, and two steals, and his all-around game was another microcosm of the Celtics’ balanced effort on Sunday.
Size Matters
Apr 17, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) and Brooklyn Nets forward Nic Claxton (33) work for the ball in the second quarter during game one of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
One game in, it appears the Celtics present a problem to the Nets. Even without center Robert Williams III, their sheer size and length up and down the lineup is proving tough for the Nets to hang with them in the frontcourt.
Al Horford scored 20 points on 8-for-13 (61.5 percent) from the floor, largely from the paint and around the rim. He also pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds; the Nets’ five starters had 16 rebounds combined. That included just one for Brooklyn’s Bruce Brown, who called out Horford specifically in comments made about the Celtics’ defense heading into the game.
It goes beyond Horford. Three Nets starters stood at 6-foot-4 or smaller. Among their entire active roster on Sunday, only Kevin Durant, Andre Drummond, and Nic Claxton stood at 6-foot-10 or bigger. They very nearly overcame those shortcomings, but the size difference showed up in glaring fashion on the final play, when the 6-foot-8 Tatum spun around the 6-foot-2 Irving. This will be something to monitor in the games ahead.
NEXT: Marcus Smart wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year
