Fan throws water bottle at Kyrie Irving after Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boos are one thing, chants are another, but what happened at the end of Boston Celtics-Brooklyn Nets Game 4 was unacceptable.
After helping the Nets to a 141-126 victory, Kyrie Irving had a water bottle tossed at him by a fan at TD Garden on his way down the tunnel.
The fan was promptly identified and arrested by TD Garden security, and will be subject to a lifetime ban from the venue, according to a spokesperson.
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Watch the incident below:
"A guest was arrested by Boston Police at the end of tonight’s Boston Celtics game for throwing an object. We will support and provide assistance to Boston Police as this incident is under review. We have zero tolerance for violations of our guest code of conduct, and the guest is subject to a lifetime ban from TD Garden," Tricia McCorkle, a TD Garden spokesperson, said in a statement.
"It's unfortunate that sports has come to this kind of crossroads," Irving said after the game. "Just underlying racism and just treating people like they're in a human zoo. Throwing things at them. At a certain point it just becomes too much."
It's the latest of multiple incidents in the NBA involving inappropriate fan conduct. During Washington Wizards-Philadelphia 76ers Game 2, a Philly fan dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook's head as he exited the court with an injury. A Utah Jazz fan made lewd, racist comments toward Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant's parents during Game 2 of their series.
"We know how these people here are in Boston, and we know how passionate they are about Kyrie in particular, and they're still upset at him. That's no reason for them to act childish," Irving's teammate Kevin Durant said about the incident in a postgame press conference.
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Sunday night marked TD Garden's first game at full capacity since 2019.
