As if the return of Kyrie Irving to Boston for a playoff series wasn't enough of a storyline, the Nets guard amped up the conversation with his postgame remarks Tuesday night.
Asked about playing at TD Garden Friday night, Irving brought up concerns over possible racial issues.
“Hopefully we can just keep it strictly basketball, you know there’s no belligerence or any racism going on, subtle racism, and people yelling sh-- from the crowd. But even if it is, it’s part of the nature of the game and I’m just going to focus on what we can control,” Irving told reporters.
When asked if Irving had experienced any issues in Boston when it came to racism, he said, "“I’m not the only one that could attest to this. But it’s just… you know. ... It is what it is. The whole world knows it."
The Celtics come back home trailing Irving's Nets 2-0 after being blown out in Game 2. For a complete recap of that game, click here.