Kyrie praises Boston as 'real, live sports city'

Boy, is Kyrie Irving glad to be out of Cleveland.

The All-Star point guard was traded to the Boston Celtics in the offseason after informing the Cavaliers he wanted to be dealt. It's believed he grew tired of playing in LeBron James' shadow and wanted to be the focal point of another squad.

Related - Kyrie on not discussing trade demand with LeBron: 'Why would I have to?'

Ahead of his fourth preseason game with his new team, the 25-year-old raved about Beantown.

"Boston, I'm driving in and (thinking), 'I'm really playing in a real, live sports city?'" Irving said Wednesday, according to the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell.

The 2016 champ wasn't done there.

"A lot of different cultures, food, and people. You get it all, especially in Boston. You would go to Cleveland and it would be at nighttime and things would be going on, but you just see a vast difference."

Irving paced the C's with 16 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and a steal in their 108-100 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. With the win, Boston finished the preseason undefeated, while his former team is 0-4 in exhibition play.

Related: Irving humiliates Howard with blow-by, silky smooth finish

Of course, none of those results matter. They will, though, in the regular season, which begins Tuesday when the Cavaliers host the Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena.

Hopefully, Irving can find an alternate route to the stadium around the bridge he burned.