Kyrie Irving fined $50,000 for flipping off Celtics fans during Game 1

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 by the NBA after he flipped off several Boston Celtics fans on two occasions during Sunday's Game 1.

In a release Tuesday, NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell said Irving was being fined for «making obscene gestures on the playing court and directing profane language toward the spectator stands.»

Following the Nets' 115-114 loss, Irving said he was responding to words he heard from the crowd and that he would have «the same energy» for the fans that they had for him.

«When people start yelling 'p---y' or 'b----' and 'f--- you' and all this stuff, there's only but so much you take as a competitor,» Irving said. «We're the ones expected to be docile and be humble, take a humble approach, f--- that, it's the playoffs. This is what it is.»

Game 2 of the series is Tuesday night.

Irving, who played for Boston for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, said Sunday that he has gotten used to getting booed by Celtics fans since leaving the team. Last season, Irving had a water bottle thrown at him by a person in the crowd as he made his way off the floor.

He also said last season that there was «subtle racism» from the TD Garden crowd at times, acknowledging that he heard some racist comments.

Information from ESPN's Nick Friedell was used in this report.