Stevens on Kyrie missing Cavs series: 'It's killing him'

Kyrie Irving wishes he was able to face his former team in the playoffs. Alas, the Boston Celtics All-Star is on ice after undergoing a procedure on his sore left knee in March and will be denied his first shot at playing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs.

"In our sit-downs, and I obviously see him regularly, but in our sit-downs or just our casual conversation, he seems to be in a great place," Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters prior to Game 5, via ASAP Sports. "You know, it's killing him not to be out on the floor. But I think that would be the case, obviously, any time you're playing this deep into the playoffs, especially in a new place."

Of course, the old place is probably of particular interest as well, as Irving spent the first seven years of his career in Cleveland after the Cavaliers drafted him No. 1 overall in the 2011 draft.

"But other than that," said Stevens, "his recovery is going great, and we're excited about that. But he seems to be in a good place."