Cavs' Irving says he won't make season debut vs. Thunder
Kyrie Irving has shot down a report that he would return to the Cleveland Cavaliers' lineup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, with the All-NBA point guard tweeting that he'll be the one to inform fans of his eventual season debut.
Sorry to dwindle the news, but I won't be returning tmrw. It was wrongfully reported. When I do come back you'll hear it directly from me.
— Kyrie Irving (@KyrieIrving) December 16, 2015
Irving - who hasn't played since suffering a fractured left kneecap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in June - has been taking part in full practices for more than a week, and is reportedly ready to play after head coach David Blatt said last week that Irving's return was close.
The 23-year-old averaged 21.7 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on a career-high effective field-goal percentage of 53.2 in helping the Cavaliers to 53 wins and the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed last season. He then averaged 19 points and shot 45 percent from 3-point range in his 13-game postseason debut despite battling knee tendinitis, before eventually seeing his season end during overtime of Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors.
After Thursday's game against the Thunder, the Cavs host the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks on Sunday and Wednesday, before traveling to the Bay Area for a Finals rematch with the Warriors on Christmas Day.
Irving's return - whenever that may be - will be a welcome addition for the Cavaliers despite the team climbing atop the Eastern Conference (16-7) in his absence, as it will help lighten LeBron James' workload and add depth to a backcourt that lost Iman Shumpert again on Tuesday.