Former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick believes no one deserves criticism for what went down this past Sunday at TD Garden.
Kyrie Irving and Celtics fans engaged in a war of words and gestures during Game 1 of the first-round NBA playoff series between Boston and Brooklyn. No one knows exactly what pushed the Nets’ star point guard over the edge, but Irving ultimately responded with middle fingers and profane language. The NBA on Tuesday fined Irving $50,000 for those actions.
Some, like Richard Jefferson, believe Irving was out of line with those antics. Others, like Kendrick Perkins, believe Celtics fans probably should turn it down a notch with their Irving heckles.
Redick, meanwhile, believes both sides acted justly.
“I have no problem whatsoever with Kyrie’s interaction,” Redick said Wednesday on ESPN’s “First Take. “As someone who has been on the other side of a lot of fan abuse, especially at Duke, there were times when I reacted and said some things. Fans have a tendency to go sort of over the top. The NBA has done a good job in recent years of cleaning that up. But in this environment, in a playoff game in Boston given the history — ‘I’m coming back if you’ll have me,’ then he doesn’t come back and sort of burns the place down his second year there. Those fans absolutely have a right to jeer him and talk trash to him. Guess what? He has a right to respond, too. The NBA did the right thing in fining him. All parties win, to me. All parties win. It’s part of sports.”
Some might accuse Redick of fence-sitting here, but it’s tough to argue with his take. As long as neither side crosses any lines, dynamics like this one are what make sports fun — especially in the playoffs.
