Kyrie Irving helped lead a 21-point comeback to stun the Knicks, waved goodbye to the Madison Square Garden crowd after the finishing touches were put on that rally, and gave Knicks fans one more dose of heartbreak once it was all over.
Talking with reporters after the big win for the Nets, which kept them in line to finish with the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, Irving brought it back to the summer of 2019, when New York fans dreamed of signing Irving and Kevin Durant in free agency. Of course, the superstar duo picked Brooklyn instead, and Irving said it could have been different.
"They had a good chance at getting us back in free agency," Irving said. "But we just felt like we wanted to build here and just make our mark on this franchise. I don't think we regret our decision. We just want to live with leaning on each other and making sure this is successful for us."
As a result, the two are met with boos every time they take the floor at The Garden, where Knicks fans had hoped the duo would call home. Wednesday night was the first time Irving and Durant shared the floor as active players, due to injuries and Irving's vaccination status. It was an opportunity for them to show Knicks fans what they missed out on, and a chance for Knicks fans to once again vent their frustrations for being let down in free agency yet again.
"I think one of the funniest things I see from Knicks fans is just that me and KD are perfect for each other because of the way we respond on social sometimes," Irving said. "And it's all in good fun."
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