Add ramping up playoff intensity among retired NBA stars to the list of things Kyrie Irving has accomplished in recent days.
Former New Jersey, now Brooklyn, Nets star Richard Jefferson called out Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett on Tuesday over his criticism of Irving’s infamous Celtics logo stomp after Brooklyn beat Boston in Game 4 of their first-round NBA playoffs series.
Garnett joined the ranks of Irving’s detractors Monday when he said via Instagram “You can’t do that. That’s not coo on no level.” In response, Jefferson reminded his Twitter followers of Garnett’s scroll-length list of “disrespectful” on-court words and actions.
“Kevin Garnett has done FAR more disrespectful things on the court than what Kyrie did,” Jefferson wrote on Twitter. “I don’t want to hear that noise. He’s crossed that line plenty of times…… plenty of times.
“Seen it, heard it, heard about it!”
Jefferson played 17 NBA seasons between 2001 and 2018, the first seven of which he spent with the Nets. Jefferson also spent 15 years playing against Garnett, so there’s no denying he knows how The Big Ticket behaved on the court.
Irving’s logo stomp was only one of the major issues that emerged from his return to Boston during the Nets-Celtics first-round NBA playoff series.
The teams will lock horns Tuesday night in Game 5, with the Celtics facing elimination. Regardless of the result, don’t be surprised if chatter about Irving extends well into the future in the Boston sports landscape.
