Kyrie Irving made it clear to Celtics fans that this won’t be the last we see of him in Boston.
As he left the court after a 105-98 loss to Boston in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Irving appeared to raise his hand multiple times to indicate the number 5, meaning the Mavericks will ensure that the series will play out as a Game 5 next Monday night at TD Garden.
The Mavericks are down 2-0 in the series and must win at least one game at home to guarantee another trip to Boston.
A return to form would go a long way in that effort for Irving, who has had two disappointing showings in front of hostile, booing crowds at his former club.
Not that Irving helped himself.
After a disappointing Game 1 loss on Thursday night, Irving said he expected “a little more noise” at TD Garden.
Irving finished with just 12 points and two assists in 37 minutes, missing all five of his 3-point attempts for a game-worst minus-19 rating.
“It’s been the same the last few years in the playoffs, the regular season. I thought there’d be a little more noise,” Irving said after Game 1. “But I expected the same thing. Going into Game 2, the crowd was going to try and take me off my sweet spot.”
Boston fans accepted the challenge, and the simmering bad blood between Irving and Celtics fans fueled the atmosphere at the game.
Before the two teams faced off, Irving was heard on the Jumbotron inside TD Garden saying that Celtics fans weren’t loud enough.
The heckling continued all night, with fans making Irving hear it and repeating “Kyrie sucks!” over and over again.
Irving responded by motioning for them to keep going.
Whether the noise was an issue or not, Irving had another poor performance in Game 2.
He finished with just 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting, two rebounds and nine assists.
This time, he didn’t say anything about the fans after the loss.
“My shots were hitting the buckle a lot. As a competitor, it can be frustrating, but that’s part of the game of basketball,” Irving said after the game. “I’m a little disappointed in myself for not taking advantage of my opportunities in the lane. Obviously, I’m going to be up against Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown a few times, but I feel like I have the advantage in the possessions that I have to make. They’re going to force me into my left hand. I’ve got to be careful with their adjustments, like I did in Game 1. … I’ve got to play better offensively.”
Irving has a long and contentious history with Boston fans.
Irving, who left the Celtics as a free agent in 2019 after two seasons with the team, stomped on the Celtics’ half-court logo while he was with the Nets.
Two years ago, he gave the Celtics fans the middle finger during a playoff series between Boston and Brooklyn at TD Garden.
Irving scored 30 or more points in three of the four games in the Mavericks’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals, but he is averaging just 14 points in the NBA Finals.
Dallas needs their star guard back as soon as possible.
Game 3 will be played on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center, with the Mavericks, like the Celtics, looking to defend their home court.
