Cavs opt not to show Kyrie Irving tribute video on opening night | Inquirer Sports

Cavs opt not to show Kyrie Irving tribute video on opening night

/ 06:56 PM October 18, 2017

Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving, left, and Gordon Hayward look on from the bench during the first quarter of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Boston, Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.  AP PHOTO/Winslow Townson

The Cleveland Cavaliers were supposed to honor their former point guard Kyrie Irving on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) as he stepped foot inside the Quicken Loans Arena as member of the Boston Celtics for the first time.

But even after the Cavs survived a thrilling nail-biter against the visiting team on opening night, the video tribute never aired.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Cavaliers hold off Celtics in NBA opener

FEATURED STORIES

According to Cleveland.com’s Jason Lloyd, several Cavs officials—including majority owner Dan Gilbert—decided not to show the video after failing to find the “right moment.”

“We were expecting to run it at a floating opportunity based on the right moment, and we felt that moment never presented itself,” the team’s spokesman Tad Carper told the sports writer.

Article continues after this advertisement

Irving’s former teammates were also reportedly irked upon learning about the tribute video, after the four-time All-Star publicly asked to be traded this off-season.

Article continues after this advertisement

Meanwhile, Carper clarified that the decision was not in any way related to the horrific injury suffered by the Celtics’ Gordon Hayward, who appeared to fracture his ankle just five minutes into the game.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Gordon Hayward suffers gruesome ankle injury in Celtics’ season-opener

Before packing his bags to Beantown, Irving donned the Cavs’ colors for six seasons and was an instrumental figure to the team’s first ever NBA title run in the 2015-2016 season. /ra

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving, video tribute

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.