Former Brooklyn Net Has Rough Night in NBA Finals Game 1

Former Brooklyn Net Kyrie Irving played in his first NBA Finals game in eight years last night for the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs lost to the Boston Celtics 107-89, and are now down 1-0.

The Celtics were dominant, especially over Irving, who shot just 6-19 and committed 3 turnovers. The former Net also failed to hit any of his five three-point attempts. Nets fans (and basketball fans) on X were quick to point out Dallas's rough night.

Dallas role players are losing confidence and missing layups & shots. Luka can only do so much and Kyrie is not having a good game.
— NetsKingdom 👑🗽 (@NetsKingdomAJ) June 7, 2024

It was definitely a hostile crowd for the 2016 NBA champion. Irving was not only a former Net, but a former Celtic as well, and Boston fans let him know that he was not welcome in TD Garden.

Celtics fans chant “Kyrie sucks!” Irving hears it and pumps up the crowd wanting them to be louder. pic.twitter.com/EU42HdXp2K
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) June 7, 2024

The "Kyrie sucks!" chants are reminiscent of the same jeers Irving heard just two years prior when the Nets played the Celtics in the 2022 playoffs. Irving responded by making gestures, mocking the Boston fans in Game 1 of the first round, a game in which the Nets would eventually lose on a Jayson Tatum game-winner.

A lot has changed in just two years. The only Nets from that game that are still on the team are Day'Ron Sharpe, Nic Claxton, and Cam Thomas. Thomas and Sharpe didn't even play in that game.

Another thing that's changed since that matchup is Irving's image. In Brooklyn, there was drama and not a whole lot of winning. After the All-Star was traded to Dallas, his maturity started to show, and he became more of a leader for a group of players looking to get to the Finals for the first time in their careers.

Of course, getting there is a step below actually winning the whole thing. The difference between last night's performance and the one from two years ago is that with the Nets, Irving had 39 points on 12-20 shooting, leading the game in scoring.

Last night, Irving struggled to get to his spots, and credit goes to the C's defense. Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 42 points, 6 blocks, and 3 steals, the MVPs of the game. Boston looks to take a commanding 2-0 against the Mavs on Sunday, June 9, before heading to Dallas for the next two games.

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