Kyrie Irving talked about his “rough time” in Boston and the NBA Finals matchup with the Celtics.

At some point following the Mavericks’ official NBA Finals seeding versus the Celtics, the Kyrie Irving-Boston subplot was bound to come up.

The 32-year-old Irving will make his way back to the team he played for from 2017 to 2019. It’s not the first time he’s played in a postseason series in Boston, nor the first time he’s faced the Celtics since leaving as a free agency.

However, Irving’s response to playing the Celtics was always going to be an interesting postgame moment because of the unfavorable impression surrounding his tenure with the organization (and subsequent departure).

Ernie Johnson brought up the topic in passing during an on-court interview that followed the Mavericks’ Game 5 victory in the Western Conference Finals. Irving answered bluntly when asked if he was “looking forward” to returning to Boston.

“Definitely, yes,” he replied. Boston is in the way and between us and our objective. That concludes it.

Afterwards, he appeared on “SportsCenter” to speak with Scott Van Pelt. Though Irving’s playoff journey to the finals and the Mavericks’ recent history occupied most of the conversation, Van Pelt couldn’t help but question the former Celtic about playing his old team.

Regarding his time in Boston, Irving remarked, “I’m at a place in my life where I don’t even consider those past moments.” “I was able to process them in a constructive manner and go on as a person.”

Irving talked about his difficult time in Boston when his grandfather passed away in 2018. “It was just dealing with a death in my family and dealing with a lot of off-court stuff that I wasn’t ready to handle,” Irving said.

“Now that I’m in a position where I can express my emotions clearly, I’m excited to return to Boston and enjoy myself with my teammates. We’re going to be locked in, I know that.

From a Boston standpoint, his analysis of the current Celtics team was anything but fodder for a bulletin board.

Irving stated, “We’re playing a fantastic Boston team that has earned a spot in the NBA Finals.” Therefore, in my opinion, they are a strong and trustworthy opponent, and the strongest squad will prevail.

Irving is regarded as a seasoned player for Dallas. Together with Markieff Morris, he is one of just two Mavericks with NBA Finals experience.

When asked what advice he would give his younger colleagues, particularly those planning to play in Boston, Irving gave the Celtics a little more props.

“Remember why and for whom we play the game of basketball. Remain composed and focused.” Regarding the atmosphere of the finals, Irving advised not to worry. We have the opportunity to paint on a canvas on another basketball court and we really appreciate it. Even though we are in the finals, basketball is still what it is at its core.

Irving continued, “There will be some elite players competing against one another.” “Happy to face outstanding players and a fantastic coach in Boston. There will be a chess match, and I’m excited about it. I’ll merely advise my guys to savor the present.

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