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Shaquille O’Neal Says Kyrie Irving Should ‘Man Up’ After Flipping Off Celtics Fans
Yesterday’s Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets was easily one of the best games of the entire season. A constant back and forth, a blown lead, the Kyrie Irving side-drama and a game-winning shot by Jason Tatum… it was so much fun watching the game, at least from a neutral standpoint.
The already mentioned Kyrie Irving side-drama also was very entertaining. Irving played for the Boston Celtics from 2017-2019 and left town with some bad blood between him, the franchise and its fans.
Irving still is the enemy number one for Celtics fans, even three years later. Something everybody got to witness last night. Whenever Irving touched the ball, he was met with an orchestra of boos, while also constantly getting trash talked. Kyrie however wasn’t having it and did not hold back himself, flashing his middle finger to the crowd a couple of times during the game.
When asked about the hostility during his post-game press conference, Irving said that he’s not one who lets fans get away with rude behavior:
“When people start yelling ‘pussy,’ and ‘bitch’ and ‘fuck you’ and all this other stuff, there’s only but so much you can take as a competitor, and we’re the ones expected to be docile and be humble and take a humble approach. Nah, fuck that. It’s the playoffs…
…If somebody’s going to call me out of my name, I’m going to look at them straight in the eye and see if they’re really ’bout it. Most of the time they’re not.”
Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal weighed in on the topic after the game from the TNT studios, and basically told Irving to get over it.
“You know what’s going to happen in Game 2? They’re going to be talking more smack.”@SHAQ & Chuck weigh in on Kyrie Irving’s postgame comments & exchanges with Celtics fans. pic.twitter.com/llmSvuBK4y
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 18, 2022
