Cavaliers sweating on the return of their number one player.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have breathed a sigh of relief when an MRI scan on Kyrie Irving’s right knee showed only a contusion and nothing more serious.
Irving’s diagnosis has his listed as questionable for the side’s next few games, but his status will be changed back to active sooner rather than later, as was first feared.
Irving fell awkwardly and had to be helped off the floor in the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers. He was examined by a team doctor and returned to play the final minutes as the Cavs lost their sixth straight, 91-76.
After the game Irving said he felt his knee “pop” and that it felt weak, causing a struggling Cavs side to question its immediate future in the season.
The Cavs (10-21) have lost six in a row. Irving is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 22.2 points a game along with 6.1 assists.
With another injury setback, Irving’s ability to handle the grind of an 82-game season must begin to be questioned.
He missed 38 games in his first two seasons with a variety of injuries, including a broken nose, a fractured jaw, a broken finger, a sprained knee and shoulder, and a concussion.
Irving played in only 11 games as a freshman at Duke because of a foot injury, and he broke his hand after his rookie season when he slammed a padded wall during a summer league practice in Las Vegas.
Irving set a goal to play in all 82 games this season, and hasn’t missed one yet. The Cavs will likely take a cautious approach with Irving and may sit him for a game or two.
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