Danny Ainge ‘Never’ Heard Racist Comments At TD Garden, But Taking Kyrie’s Comments ‘Seriously’

Danny Ainge says in the 26 years he’s been playing and working for the Celtics … he’s “never” heard any racist remarks from fans at TD Garden — but he did say he’s taking Kyrie Irving‘s comments “seriously.”

If you missed it … Irving implored Celtics fans to treat him with respect when his Nets team arrives in Boston for its playoff games this weekend, insinuating he’s been called racist things at the Celtics’ arena in the past.

But, when Ainge was asked to comment on that on the 98.5 The Sports Hub on Thursday … the Boston GM said he’s simply never heard that kind of vitriol from people at the Garden before.

“Quite honestly, I’ve never heard any of it,” 62-year-old Ainge said. “I’m not saying the city of Boston — I’m saying [TD Garden]. I think our fans are very respectful.”

Ainge, though, did say he’d look into Kyrie’s comments … explaining the team won’t just brush them off.

“I think that we take those kinds of things seriously,” said Ainge, who was the GM during Irving’s 2-year Celtics tenure in the 2017 and 2018 NBA seasons.

“I never heard any of that, from any player that I’ve ever played with in my 26 years in Boston. I never heard that before from Kyrie, and I talked to him quite a bit. So, I don’t know.”

As for whether or not Celtics fans will just plain boo Kyrie … Ainge thinks that might be a little bit of a different story, saying, “Fans will do what they want to do.”