Kyrie Irving is no longer a stranger to the hostile environment of TD Garden. Af

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Kyrie Irving is no longer a stranger to the hostile environment of TD Garden. After the Nets split Games 3 and 4 against the Celtics during the 2021 NBA Playoffs en route to a 4-1 series win, Irving played two more games on the road against Boston this season to prepare for his 2022 first-round matchup.After a suring Celtics fansprior to the 2018 season that he would be re-signing with the team, Irving absconded for Brooklyn the very next offseason when his contract expired. Since then, it's been nothing but hostility in TD Garden, which is sure to ramp up in the postseason.MORE:This time, however, the Celtics find themselves with home-court advantage. The Nets will be visiting Boston for Games 1 and 2 of the series, as they look to right the ship on what has been a roller coaster of a season.Why exactly did Irving leave the Celtics? And why did Boston fans take his departure so hard? Here's everything you need to Atlanta Falcons Pet Gear know about Irving's tumultuous final year with the Celtics. Why did Kyrie Irving leave the Celtics for the Nets?Irving left the Celtics because he wanted to return closer to his New Jersey home. He confirmed as much in his 2019 media day availability with the Nets, and his decision to leavewas influenced by the pa sing of his grandfather early in the 2018-19 NBA season."After he pa sed, basketball was the last thing on my mind," . "A lot of basketball and the joy I had from it was sucked away from me. There was a facial expre sion that I carried around with me throughout the year. Didn't allow anyone to get close to me in that instance, and it really bothered me."I didn't take the nece sary steps to get counseling or get therapy or anything to deal with someone that close to medying.I've never dealt with anything like that, so, for me, I responded in Michael Vick Jersey ways that were uncharacteristic, and I had to acknowledge that fact."Irving did talk to the Celtics about the i sue, and he expre sed a desire to re-sign. However, after reflecting more on his grandfather's death and how basketball prevented Irving from seeing him before his pa sing, his thought proce s started to shift."I talked to Danny Ainge and I wanted to re-sign. So throughout the year, it started becoming more and more clear that my relationship within my home life had a way higher precedence than the organization or anyone," Irving said."Throughout that year, things just became rocky and a lot of the battles I thought I could battle through from that team environment, I just wasn't ready for. Ifailed those guys in a sense that I didn't give them everything that I could have during that season, especially with the pieces that we had."After the disappointing season, Irving made the exit that he had been building up to and went to play for the Nets. That allowed him an opportunity to play closer to home and also gave him the luxury of playing alongside Kevin Durant, who signed with Brooklyn that same summer.That took some of the pre sure that he "just wasn't ready for" off the table.Timeline of Kyrie Irving's departure from CelticsJuly 21, 2017: Irving requests trade, names Knicks among preferred destinationsWhen Irving initially requested a trade from Cleveland, Chris Haynes noted Irving's four preferred teams: The Knicks, Heat, Spurs and Timberwolves.ESPN Sources: On Kyrie Irving front, Cavs were given four preferred landing spots: New York, Miami, San Antonio, Minnesota. Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) Aug. 22, 2017: Cavaliers trade Kyrie Irving to CelticsThe Cavaliers finally ended the Irving saga by trading him to Boston. The deal got them a haul of three picks and three players.Oct. 4, 2018: Irving commits to re-signing with the Celtics during preseason fan event"If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here," Irving told the Boston crowd,.Oct. 5, 2018: Irving reaffirms his happine s in Boston, praises organization for 'taking a chance'The next day, Irving continued to praise the Celtics for "taking a chance" on him, saying that he enjoyed playing Kendall Sheffield Jersey in Boston."I'm happy here," Irving said,. "Every single day is at an all-time competitive high. What more can you ask for from an organization than taking a chance as far as getting me out of Cleveland? Really taking a chance regardle s of whether I signed back or not."They had the same attitude. They just wanted to show me what being a Celtic is about, and that I was going to come around, and I absolutely did. I believe in it. I believe in the franchise."Irving commented that he wanted to see his jersey in the TD Garden rafters one day along with the retired numbers of other Celtics greats."I have every intention of signing with Boston next year. I do have a dream of putting my No. 11 in the rafters one day if I'm so ble sed to do that," Irving said, per ."I've worked my tail off, obviously a lot of great players have come before me, but to throw my name in Boston Celtics tradition and history is something I'm Jake Matthews Jersey glad I can do. And I'm planning on doing so."Oct. 20, 2018: Irving says he nearly requested trade to New York after Knicks gameAfter a game in New York, Irving confirmed the Knicks were a preferred destination for him."Every team was under consideration," he said. "But obviously New York held a special place for me, just being from New Jersey and obviously envisioning myself as a free agent and ultimately taking a meeting and playing for David Fizdale and a great young core that they have here."Thinking about playing with Kristaps Porzingis , that was a big thing before I made my decision to sign back with to plan on re-signing back, I don't wanna get in trouble, plan with re-signing back with Boston. But yeah of course, New York was a strong consideration."Kyrie confirms that NY was strongly considered as his next NBA destination Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) Jan. 12, 2019: Irving chides Gordon Hayward for giving Jayson Tatum final shot vs. MagicHowever, as the season went along, there appeared to be growing tension within the locker room and frustration on Irving's part.That came to a head after Hayward threw a late-game pa s to Tatum to try to let the then-rookie win the game. Irving screamed at Hayward after the play.Irving apparently wanted a chance at the Olamide Zaccheaus Jersey last shot. After the Celtics' lo s, he spoke about the team's lack of experience and how he differed from his teammates."The best thing I can say is experience, we're lacking it and because of that we have a lot of learning to do, so we have a lot of ground to make up in that aspect," Irving said, . "You know, it gets tough. When it gets hard, you have to think. You have to do the right things. You can't gamble and think that it's going to be the winning play. You have to be able to play through the full 48 minutes, no matter what's going on and hold your head high when you make mistakes.When your job is