Kyrie Irving embracing the role of the heel at the Garden opens a door for mutual catharsis

The animosity, however, is likely here to stay.

If the not-exactly family-friendly interactions between former Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving and the Celtics fans in the arena for Irving’s Brooklyn Nets Game 1 against Boston on Sunday were getting in the Duke product’s head, it certainly did not show up in the box score.

Irving and the TD Garden crowd heckled one another in a continuation of their mutual ire, with the Nets star the subject of frequent and loud boos and trash talk from fans, and Irving responded in kind with a salute of ill repute a few times during the game. Asked about the atmosphere and his likely-to-be-fined responses, the Brooklyn point guard shared his perspective on the hostile reception.

“It’s nothing new when I come in this building and what it’s going to be like,” said Irving.