Words by Jason Cordner
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics will open up the 2017 NBA regular season on Tuesday night as Kyrie Irving makes his return to Cleveland for the first time as a member of the Celtics.
According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers will honor Kyrie with a video tribute, though it’s unclear exactly when they will show the video package to fans inside Quicken Loans Arena.
Despite the breakup, there is no denying the impact Irving had during his time in Cleveland. The 2011 No. 1 overall draft pick has been a Rookie of the Year and a four-time All-Star, and he’s coming off a career-high 25.2 points per game.
Normally, this gesture of good faith would go over smoothly with the fans and former player. That might not be the case when the Celtics and Kyrie Irving step on the court.
After thanking the Cleveland fans and organization, Irving told the Boston Globe, Cleveland isn’t a real sports town.
“[Boston’s] a really major city,” Irving said, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “Coming from Cleveland, the Midwest, where the culture is different. And then you move to the East Coast—into Boston—and it’s so real [and] alive. An ongoing, thriving city. Consistently. No matter what hour throughout the night.”
How Will The Cleveland Fans React
It will be interesting to see if fans choose to cheer or boo Irving. He’s remembered fondly, but some of his comments he’s made since being traded have been less than kind to his former city. Fans might not appreciate that. Shoutout to the Cleveland Cavaliers for taking the high road during all of this. Rarely does a superstar like Irving, gets traded to the primary competitor.
