Nets needed ‘humbling’ Celtics experience: Kyrie Irving

The Nets’ first-round sweep by the hands of Boston wasn’t simply humbling. It was additionally motivating. 

A minimum of in line with Kyrie Irving, who mentioned the playoff drubbing went down precisely the way it was imagined to — and exactly the way it wanted to in an effort to drive the Nets this season. 

“Get ’em up. I’ve obtained to get them up on each ends of the ground. I’ve obtained to be an entire participant. Coming for various hardware this yr, bro. I’ve been within the lab loopy, since we obtained 4-0’d,” Irving mentioned on “The Boyz Evening Podcast,” earlier than including 3 times that the sweep occurred simply the way it ought to have. “It was meant to occur like that.” 

Irving has largely stored a low profile this offseason, however he spoke with hosts KaiCenat, YourRage and Bruce Ray in a podcast that dropped Sunday. And in a wide-ranging interview that included a bunch of subjects, he admitted that Brooklyn’s one-sided defeat towards his former Celtics teammates was as inevitable because it was instructive. 

“It was meant to occur like that,” Irving mentioned. “Motivation, bro. We wanted it. We wanted that humbling expertise, particularly going towards the Celtics. It was already in-built to be that matchup. 

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the second hal
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives towards Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7).
AP Photograph

“So we’re going to see them once more. We’re going to must. They’re going to be the place they’re going to be. However these younger’uns over there in Boston, bro, I obtained to see them develop up. So to see them doing what they did final yr on the Finals stage, making it that far, I’m glad they needed to undergo us.” 

These younger’uns are All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who performed alongside Irving for his two years at TD Backyard however chafed below his management at occasions. Irving’s tenure ended poorly with the Celtics, however Irving — whose father performed at Boston College, and who spent a superb period of time within the metropolis rising up — reiterated the constructive emotions he has for town. 

“I had fun in Boston, bro. I used to be going there since I used to be in all probability 6 years outdated to a school basketball camp at Boston College. I at all times had household there. I spent lots of time there,” Irving mentioned. “However once I performed there, man I met my spouse there and we settled down. So lots of good reminiscences. Simply on the court docket, issues didn’t work out as I might have favored.” 

Final season didn’t go as Irving and the Nets would have favored

Brooklyn obtained swept by Boston, with the Celtics occurring to the NBA Finals and the Nets occurring to a chaotic offseason. 

Irving came upon the total max contract that had been provided final summer season — earlier than he’d missed two-thirds of the season as a consequence of his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine — was now not on the desk. He and the Nets couldn’t come to a compromise, so on June 30 he ended up opting in to the final yr of his contract at $36.5 million, that means he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after this season. 

Days later, Kevin Durant requested a commerce, rocking the NBA

However with Durant finally relenting, now he, Irving and Ben Simmons are thought-about a contender within the Japanese Convention. They’ll face the defending convention champions 4 occasions — at house Dec. 4 and Jan. 12, and at TD Backyard on Feb. 1 and March 3. 

The Nets will get to show Irving’s concept proper — presuming they'll keep wholesome. 

“That’s all that issues. That’s all that issues,” Irving mentioned. “All of the hypotheticals that come when no one is wholesome and once you’re not one hundred pc. … I performed 29 video games, I barely performed house video games. It wasn’t a typical season I might have wished. However issues occur. I needed to stand on a complete bunch of larger stuff than simply that.” 

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