Boston Celtics: Kyrie Irving praises Boston by dissing the city of Cleveland

If the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers rivalry didn’t need any more hype, Kyrie Irving found a way to add more fuel to the fire.

Forget LeBron James, new Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving has sparked a fire with the city of Cleveland and their fans.

The four-time All-Star and former Cavaliers point guard loves his new city and had no problem making a pretty contrasting comparison to his former city of Cleveland. Perhaps it wasn’t meant as a jab, but with this rivalry, it sure will be taken as one.

For Kyrie, it’s mainly about returning to the type of atmosphere he has grown up in.

"“It’s exciting to be back on the East Coast,” the New Jersey native said, via the Charlotte Observer. “It’s fast-paced. A lot of different cultures, food and people. You get it all, especially in Boston. You would go to Cleveland, and it would be at nighttime, and things would be going on, but you just see a vast difference”"

BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 2: Kyrie Irving /

Most will agree that the city of Boston is quite a unique city. In that respect, the contrasts Irving makes shouldn’t be taken as an insult. But, when he continued by calling his new home a “real, live sports city,” how can a city passionate about sports like Cleveland not take offense?

Cavaliers fans will have a chance to express their displeasure with Irving when the two teams tip off the 2017 NBA season at Quicken Loans Arena Oct. 17.

Irving not the only one taking “jabs”

While Kyrie Irving didn’t necessarily take jabs at his former team, former Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder did.

Included in the package that sent Irving to Boston, Crowder noted a huge difference between his new team and his former team and it is all in how each team approaches the game.

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"“I noticed the difference in mentality; I noticed the difference in the culture of work,” Crowder told NBA.com’s David Aldridge. “It’s just different. The one thing that really caught me by surprise is how they come in and works. The feel of being at work is much different. These guys really get it. They get it. You don’t have to coach anybody to go work out or be in the weight room and take care of your body. It’s like mandatory here. It’s no coincidence that these guys have been the top team in the east this long.”"

It also helps when that team is filled with a bunch of veterans, including the best basketball player in the world in LeBron James. It also helps that the team has won a championship and been to the NBA Finals the past three seasons.

With that being said, they know how to win versus a young Boston Celtics team learning how to win. So, of course there will be a difference in culture. Crowder probably wasn’t taking a jab in that respect, but mentioning not having to “coach anybody to go work out” is referencing something or someone.

Next: Boston Celtics: The 50 Greatest Players of All Time

I may be looking too much into it, but in all, it’s good to see all players involved in the blockbuster deal between the two teams are enjoying their new situations.

Well, maybe not Isaiah Thomas.

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