Celtics fan arrested after throwing bottle at Kyrie

A Boston Celtics fan has been arrested and faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after throwing a water bottle at Kyrie Irving following the Brooklyn Nets' 141-126 victory Sunday, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

The 21-year-old individual is also subject to a lifetime ban from TD Garden.

Irving likened the treatment that NBA players are receiving to being in a "human zoo," a dynamic he feels is rooted in racism.

"It's unfortunate that sports has come to a lot of these kinds of crossroads where you see a lot of old ways come up," Kyrie said after the game. "It's been that way in history in terms of entertainment, performers, and sports for a long period of time.

"Just underlying racism and just treating people like they're in a human zoo, throwing things at people, saying things. There's a certain point where it just gets to be too much."

The incident continues a rash of inappropriate fan behavior. Multiple spectators have been barred indefinitely from NBA arenas in recent days, including a Philadelphia 76ers fan who dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook, a New York Knicks fan who spat on Trae Young, and a trio of Utah Jazz fans who harassed Ja Morant's family with racist and sexist remarks.

"We keep saying things like, 'We're human, we're human,' but we don't get treated like we have rights when we're out there at times," Irving said, per SNY. "And people feel entitled to go and do things like that."

Irving played for the Celtics from 2017-19, earning All-Star nods in both seasons. He left the franchise to sign a four-year, $136.5-million contract with Brooklyn.

Prior to Game 3 earlier this week, Irving said he hoped there would be "no belligerence or any racism" from the bleachers as the series shifted from Brooklyn to Boston, where both he and former teammate Marcus Smart have separately discussed hearing fans make racist comments in the past.