Hours before tip-off Wednesday night, somebody hung a poster of Kyrie Irving’s face next to the label “coward.” The first loud “Kyrie sucks” chant began just after the Nets introductions. Minutes into the first quarter, the crowd belted out a question repeatedly.
“Where is Kyrie?” yelled the fans in unison.
Though Irving, dealing with a right shoulder injury, did not make the trip to Boston, Celtics fans seized the matchup with his new team as an opportunity to voice their disapproval. Even if Irving was not in the building, the fans let it be known they did not appreciate the way he carried himself last season or his decision to break a promise to return. Two fans, sitting together, wore Irving shirts they had apparently bought while the guard still played for the Celtics. Over his name, they had used tape and a marker to turn the clothing into an insult. Another fan dressed up as Waldo from the Where’s Waldo books, an obvious shot at Irving, absent…
