℅ ESPN.com
“An MRI on Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving’s ailing left knee revealed a fractured kneecap and he will undergo season-ending surgery in the coming days, the team announced Friday.
Irving is projected to be out three to four months, the Cavaliers said. The surgery will be done at the Cleveland Clinic by head team physician Dr. Richard Parker.
Cavs Can’t Afford To Lose Kyrie
Losing Kyrie Irving is devastating for the Cavaliers:
• Irving created 12 assist opportunities (6-of-12 FG, 14 points) in Game 1. LeBron James (15 assist opportunities) was the only other Cavalier with more than three.
• Irving drove to the basket 13 times in Game 1, creating 13 points on those plays. He and James combined for 27 of the Cavaliers’ 29 drives in the game.
• Irving limited Stephen Curry to 1-of-5 shooting and four points on six plays in Game 1. Curry shot 8-of-14 for 19 points on 19 plays against all other defenders in the half-court offense.
— ESPN Stats & Information
Irving collapsed as he was driving with the ball with two minutes left in the Cavs’ 108-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors and grabbed his left knee, which has been bothering him with tendinitis for the past six weeks.
Initial tests done by the Cavs’ medical staff revealed no damage to the ACL or MCL, but an MRI on Friday revealed the fracture to Irving’s kneecap.
Irving did not speak to reporters Friday as he was still having his left knee evaluated. Cavaliers coach David Blatt said he was informed that Irving was still on crutches when the star guard left the hotel Friday morning.
The injury is a massive blow to the Cavaliers, who were 3-6 without Irving this season. The Warriors outscored them by 13 points with Irving off the court in Thursday’s opener.
Irving had played well Thursday night, scoring 23 points with seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocked shots in Game 1. His block on Stephen Curry late in the fourth quarter helped the Cavs push the game to overtime.
Irving previously had at least one other MRI on the knee and visited Dr. James Andrews to evaluate it during the Eastern Conference finals.
Game 2 is Sunday night in Oakland, California.”
I still got the Cavs in 6!! #100
