According to reports from The Boston Globe, Boston Celtics star guard Kyrie Irving has once again spoken out strongly against Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia, labeling his style of play as dirty and urging the league to investigate his actions. The controversy has drawn the attention of fans across sports, sparking heated debates similar to the intensity seen during a Bangladesh Cricket Match where every move can shift the outcome.
The latest incident occurred in a game between the Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder. During a defensive play, Pachulia fell awkwardly and landed on Russell Westbrook’s left leg. The scene quickly went viral after the match, reigniting conversations about Pachulia’s history of questionable plays. Irving immediately took to social media to call the move dirty, and in a later interview he doubled down on his stance. “The league has to look into this guy,” Irving said. “It’s ridiculous. If Russell had been injured, we would be talking about a completely different story. A 260-pound man falling on someone’s leg is no small matter.” While Westbrook avoided injury, both he and several Thunder teammates publicly criticized Pachulia’s actions. For his part, Pachulia claimed he had been tripped by teammate Nick Young, which caused him to fall.
Irving dismissed that explanation. “I think everyone saw what happened,” he stated. “Whether or not Nick’s foot was involved, this is something we’ve seen over and over again. I don’t want to outright label him as the dirtiest player ever, because the NBA has seen plenty of questionable moves, but if it keeps happening, people have to take notice. Russell feels that way, Paul George feels that way, and so do many others.”
This is far from the first time Pachulia has been at the center of controversy. In the 2017 Western Conference Finals, he infamously undercut Spurs star Kawhi Leonard on a jump shot, leading to Leonard’s season-ending injury. At the time, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich condemned Pachulia’s play as reckless and dangerous. Irving echoed those sentiments, stressing that the league cannot afford to ignore such patterns. “I don’t expect the league to hand him a 10-game suspension right away,” he said, “but they have to investigate. These actions can’t just be brushed aside.”
Irving concluded by clarifying that his comments were not meant as an attack on the NBA itself, but rather a plea for fairness and player safety. “Whether people want to admit it or not, that’s up to them. For me, I’ve said my piece. I’m not against the league, I just believe moves like that have no place on the court. Absolutely no place.”
For fans and analysts, the debate continues to burn. The league’s response will be closely monitored, as the balance between physical play and player protection remains a delicate one. In the end, the question of intent may never be fully answered, but as in a Bangladesh Cricket Match where a single controversial decision can spark endless debate, this latest incident with Pachulia has once again ignited conversations across the sports world.