Dallas Mavericks‘ pointguard Kyrie Irving just reached the NBA finals alongside the likes of Luka Doncic, he is set to face the Boston Celtics’ fanbase at the Garden at least twice. Why is that mentioned? Because Kyrie Irving doesn’t have great history with the Boston Celtics fans, many of them can’t stand him. It’s a hate-hate rlationship through and through. Kyrie has already responded to some of those fans by flipping them inside the court and try to keep his cool as he is booed by everybody. It’s a hard situation that Kyrie Irving knows can come back to haunt him. This exact behavior is what made him reflect and regret some of the things he did or said.

Kyrie Irving’s last time in Boston

That middle finger Kyrie showed all the Celtics fans came during Game 1 of the first-round series between the Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets, where Kyrie was in 2022. Irving wasn’t able to take the verbal abuse and responded with those middle fingers. That is exactly the moment Kyrie Irving completely regrets. Handling hostile environments is a rare skill that not all star athletes possess. Players often have to learn it and correct mistakes made previously. Kyrie is trying to do just that because otherwise, he will get into trouble with the Celtics fans again. Not being able to control himself could even drive him to be sanctioned by the NBA. Respecting the fans is the most important rule within the organization.

Kyrie spoke to the media on Monday ahead of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics. He said: “Last time in Boston, I don’t think that was the best — not this regular season but when we played in the playoffs and everyone saw me flip off the birds and kind of lose my s— a little bit. That wasn’t a great reflection of who I am and how I like to compete on a high level. It wasn’t a great reflection on my end toward the next generation on what it means to control your emotions in that type of environment, no matter what people are yelling at you. I’m built for these moments, to be able to handle circumstances like that, and I’ve been able to grow since then. So of course it’s going to be a hectic environment, but I’m looking forward to it and I see it as a healthy relationship to have with the fans.”