Kyrie Irving ‘coward’ signs pop up in Boston ahead of Celtics-Nets game

Celtics fans will not have the opportunity to shower Kyrie Irving in boos when his Brooklyn Nets play in Boston on Wednesday night, so they are finding other ways to let the All-Star point guard know what they think of him.

Irving has been out with a shoulder injury, and he will not play on Wednesday night. Since the injury is considered somewhat minor, many Celtics fans believe Irving is avoiding the game because he would likely get a ruthless reception if he took the floor. Prior to tip-off, fliers with Irving’s face on them that said “COWARD” were spotted outside the TD Garden.

It’s not just Celtics fans who think Irving is avoiding the boo birds. Former Celtics big man Kendrick Perkins suggested in a tweet last week that Irving knew before the season that he wasn’t going to play in the Nets’ first game at Boston. That seems unlikely considering the shoulder injury has caused Irving to miss multiple games.

Irving’s second and final season with the Celtics was a huge disappointment, and the team actually made a deeper playoff run in his first year when he was out with an injury. There were numerous indications that his teammates didn’t get along with him and felt he was a bad leader, and fans in Boston have held onto that. Many people with tickets to Wednesday’s game couldn’t wait to rip Irving, but they’re not going to get a chance.