Irving’s response came after he was asked what his message would be to people who have followed his story — specifically those who acknowledge that he had every right to take the stance he took but say his choice put the team in a much less advantageous position, especially as the playoffs begin. The Nets come into their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Boston Celtics as the seventh seed following a regular season in which Irving’s vaccination status hung over the organization. “I can’t address everybody, but as we move forward in time I know that I made the right decision for me,” Irving said.
Source: Nick Friedell @ ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
Reporting with @ClaytonGuse
Kyrie Irving backs MTA worker’s fight against COVID vaccine mandates
nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-ky… – 10:20 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
#Nets‘ Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving brace for tough #Celtics‘ defensive test nypost.com/2022/04/16/cel… via @nypostsports – 8:15 PM
Mark Murphy @Murf56
Marcus Smart on former teammate Kyrie Irving: “He’s truly a magician with the ball. He has a lot of what you call last minute moves. You think you’ve guarded him, and he always finds a way to get out of whatever type of situation he’s in.” – 5:52 PM
Steve Popper @StevePopper
If there is anyone who can limit Kyrie… Celtics’ Smart aims to make things tough on Kyrie Irving newsday.com/sports/basketb… via @Newsday – 5:35 PM
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Hanging out with @MattMcCarthy985 previewing Celtics-Nets, talking Kyrie and much more until 6. Listen live at 985thesportshub.com – 4:23 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
“If we were together for the year, we wouldn’t be 7th, and so we wouldn’t be an underdog.”
But they weren’t, and so they are.
Series preview for @NYDNSports: The Celtics are the better team, but the Nets have KD and Kyrie. What matters more?
nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 3:51 PM
Kyrie Irving @KyrieIrving
pic.twitter.com/3RBPypWiXU – 2:38 PM
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
##Celtics-Nets is a series of star power, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown might outshine Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bostonglobe.com/2022/04/15/spo… via @BostonGlobe – 1:15 PM
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
Sad Celtics fans can’t get over Kyrie Irving and their silly leprechaun nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 10:39 AM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Kyrie Irving was bothered by some of what he heard about not being vaccinated early in the season. He arrives in the postseason with no second guessing.
“I can really say that I stood firm on what I believed in, what I wanted to do with my body,” he said.
apnews.com/article/brookl… – 10:16 AM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Kyrie Irving refuses to let Boston’s hatred affect #Nets in playoff series. #Celtics #nba nypost.com/2022/04/15/nba… via @nypostsports – 9:59 AM
More on this storyline
“It’s a great feeling when you know during uncomfortable times you can really lean in on different individuals despite their role in different sectors or different places in our organization or things that they stand for,” Irving said. “And some people stood by me in public, some people stood by me in private and I’m OK with both. Some people disagree with me in public, some people disagree with me in private. It doesn’t really bother me as much as it did in the beginning of the season, because everything was just so new.” -via ESPN / April 17, 2022
Ky Carlin: Doc Rivers did say that he encouraged Matisse Thybulle to get fully vaccinated when considering Toronto in the playoffs. He said he doesn’t agree with his decision, but he supports him. #Sixers -via Twitter @Ky_Carlin / April 12, 2022
The Sixers suggested and offered to get him fully vaccinated. They never forced it, just encouraged it. It was difficult for Thybulle to let teammates know he would be unavailable. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / April 11, 2022