Kyrie Irving on Knicks Fans Chanting for Him: 'Nothing but a Distraction'
Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving is shrugging off the cheers he received from fans at Madison Square Garden during Friday's 113-99 win over the New York Knicks.
Per ESPN.com's Ian Begley, Irving called the support from opposing fans an obstacle he needs to overcome:
"It's nothing but a distraction at this point. Like I said, I'm appreciative of the fan support I get in any arena. But of course, coming back home—obviously, what's going on in terms of that noise and commentary, it's just a bunch of nonsense right now. So, can't do anything about it. I'm just accepting, I'm appreciative, but at the same time, I got a game to focus on."
The Knicks crowd cheered for Irving when he touched the ball early in the game before breaking out a "we want Kyrie" chant in the second half.
Irving helped create the distraction with his comments about his plans for the future with the possibility of becoming a free agent this summer, via Begley:
"I don't know, just do the best for me. That's what it comes down to. ... Obviously, things this season haven't gone as I planned. That's part of being on a team where you're still trying to figure things out. I'm always going to be mature about that, professional, come and do my job every single day and see what happens. That's what it comes down to."
The Knicks have been rumored as a potential landing spot if Irving leaves Boston. ESPN.com's Tim Bontemps reported New York has been plotting to create two max salary slots for this summer, which it was able to do after Thursday's seven-player trade with the Dallas Mavericks.
Irving would certainly add some excitement to a Knicks team that owns the NBA's worst record (10-41).
For now, though, Irving will continue to lead the Celtics in their quest to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
