Your Morning Dump... Where Kyrie confirms his old New York State of Mind

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

“Every team was under consideration but obviously New York had a special place for me,” he said. “Just being from Jersey and obviously envisioning myself as a free agent and taking a meeting and playing for [coach David Fizdale] and a great young core that they have here, playing with KP [Kristaps Porzingis], that was a big thing before I planned on re-signing back with Boston. But yeah, New York was a strong consideration.”

Globe: Kyrie Irving acknowledges Knicks once were a lure

“I think if you were in my position, I think it would be an easy decision,” Irving said of his decision to commit to the Celtics. “Thinking about who we have (in Boston) and the future and what we’re set up for. For me, it was where I am in age and how I envision my career going. And kind of the lineage of guys that have come before me in the Boston Celtics is something I wanted to be a part of. Obviously, my dad and my mom met in Boston, so I had a lot of history there, as well. Obviously, being from New Jersey, (there’s) history there. But Boston, there’s nothing like it.”

ESPN: Kyrie says he once considered joining Knicks

This has to be a gut punch for Knicks fans.

Imagine a girl you love standing there saying “I was basically on my way to meet you and I really could see myself with you… but… there was a detour and I had to stop and I met the man of my dreams there. But if i didn’t meet him I’d totally want to be with you.”

Your Morning Dump... Where Kyrie confirms his old New York State of Mind

I’m not saying that I know this from a soul crushing experience or anything, but all a quote like Kyrie’s does is make you hope for a breakup. Knicks fans have probably started moving on since Kyrie announced he wants to re-sign with Boston… but this probably makes a few of them keep an eye on his situation in Boston.

“Oh… remember when he sat for the end of the Philly game?”

“Hey… isn’t Jayson Tatum getting a lot of touches?”

I have to admit, if I didn’t see all his other quotes leading up to this, I’d say he’s speaking a little too glowingly about New York, but I feel really good that he’s sticking to his word.

MassLive: Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving considered signing with New York Knicks, but ‘Boston, there’s nothing like it’

Page 2: Baynes has a hamstring injury

Boston Celtics big man Aron Baynes suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of Boston’s 103-101 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday, which caused him to be ruled out for the final two periods.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, Brad Stevens hadn’t been told much.

“I don’t have any update on it,” Stevens said. “Hamstrings are scary to me.”

MassLive: Aron Baynes Injury: Boston Celtics big man has hamstring injury, which is ‘scary’ to Brad Stevens

Hamstring injuries tend to linger. The Celtics will also very likely be extremely cautious about this.

They haven’t made an announcement yet, but I’d anticipate him missing at least a couple of games. I’d be shocked if he plays tomorrow night against Orlando. The next game is Thursday in Oklahoma City… I’d say that’s iffy too. We won’t know for sure until he gets the MRI and a full determination is made.

And Finally…

Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul get into the fight that’s been brewing for probably a decade or so…

There were some legitimate punches being thrown, which you don’t normally seen in an NBA fight. There will be multiple game suspension for Rondo and Ingram for sure because Rondo threw a punch that connected and another than almost did while Ingram flew in out of nowhere with a punch. He also set this whole thing into motion by shoving James Harden.

Chris Paul’s punishment might not be as severe but he put a finger right on Rondo’s face that did provoke him. If I had to guess it’d be five games for Rondo, two or three for Ingram and one or two for Paul.

Side note, Marcus Morris had the best reaction of the night.