Kyrie Irving ready to just "breathe through it" when Celtics fans get on him during NBA Finals

BOSTON -- Kyrie Irving was welcomed into TD Garden on Wednesday for media day ahead of the NBA Finals. It won't be as cordial for the Mavs guard once Celtics fans pack the Garden for Game 1 on Thursday night.

Irving's return to Boston to battle the Celtics for a championship has been one of the biggest storylines leading up to the NBA Finals. And with over a week of downtime before the two teams square off in Game 1, there was a lot made of Irving's past history with the Celtics.

There's no need to rehash Irving's departure from Boston and all the incidents that followed, but it got ugly at times. Real ugly. Irving expressed some remorse over all of it earlier this week, likely in a way to get on the good side of Boston fans ahead the series.

But he's seen both sides of Celtics fans and he knows which side will be out during the NBA Finals. He's promising a much better response than the last time he was at TD Garden for a playoff game.

"I mean, I've experienced Boston twofold; my first few years being in the NBA playing for the Cavs, then coming here to Boston, then being right down the street in Brooklyn, now being here in the Finals playing against them in a potential four-to-seven-game series," Irving said during Wednesday's media day. 

"You just got to breathe through it. To all my youngins out there that are dealing with some of the crowd reactions, what they're saying to you, you have to breathe, realize that is not as hostile as you think it is," he continued. "Don't overthink it. I've been able to work through that and understand that some of that is anxiety, some of that is nervousness. It could all be turned into a strength. 

"There's no fear out here, man. It's basketball," Irving added. "The fans are going to say what they're going to say. I appreciate them and their relationship they have to the game. But it's about the players at the end of the day."

So it doesn't sound like there will be any more logo stomping or freedom rocket salutes from Irving, but we'll believe it when we don't see it. Celtics fans are going to do everything they can to get Irving off his game and into his head.

As for the game itself, the Celtics will be looking to limit both Irving and his backcourt mate, Luka Doncic. It's going to be an arduous task for Boston defenders, but one the Celtics are confident they can handle.

How will they go about it?

"Pray," Jrue Holiday joked on Wednesday.

Holiday is one of the best defenders in the game, and he's got plenty of experience to draw on when it comes to keeping Irving in check.

"I think it's just familiarity. I think knowing each other's game, doing your best to stay in front of him, trying to take away the things that will probably hurt you the most," said Holiday, who has racked up six All-Defensive honors throughout his career. 

But keeping Irving and Doncic from going wild on the scoresheet -- or at least trying to -- will not fall on the shoulders of just one player.

"Probably most [important] of all is having help," said Holiday. "Him being able to see multiple guys on the court, making it look like it's crowded, making shots as tough as possible, even though he's a tough shot-maker."

"They're two of the most talented guards this league has seen. It's going to be a challenge for all of us. It's not going to be one-on-one; we all have to participate," said Derrick White. "It's going to be a lot of fun. Just have to embrace that challenge."

While the Celtics have to worry about the Doncic-Irving duo, the Mavs will have their hands full with Boston's dynamic duet of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. (Not to mention Holiday, White, and Kristaps Porzingis, all of whom can make a team pay on the offensive end.) Irving was teammates when Tatum and Brown during their first seasons in the league, and is amazed by their growth over the years. 

"I'm excited. They've gotten tremendously better. They've led their team to this point," Irving said. "So I'm proud of them. I'm looking forward to the competition because this is what we've all strived for since we were kids, basketball at this level playing against the best of the best."