Kyrie Irving Injury Update: Irving Has Surgery On Knee, LeBron James Weighs In
Kyrie Irving injury updates haven’t been good lately for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving fractured his kneecap in game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals, and it was revealed by CBS Sports late Saturday, June 6, that he had a successful surgery. The surgery was done to shorten the timetable of his return, which is tentatively set for three to four months from now. The injury to Irving is just the latest blow that the Cavaliers have had to deal with this postseason, leaving former NBA MVP LeBron James in a tough position. At least the surgery on Irving went well.
Speaking about the Irving injury with CBS Sports, James had a lot to say about the situation. The team has had a few extra days to prepare for game 2 against the Golden State Warriors, but even more will be asked of James than when the teams began the series. It would certainly boost his legacy in the NBA if he could lead the Cavaliers to a title, but it’s not going to be easy. He spoke about that at length.
“Obviously, we’ve been in this situation, but we always knew at some point he’d come back. Knowing that he’s out for the rest of The Finals and out for a period of a long time, first of all, it sucks for him personally. It’s a huge blow for our team, especially at this stage.
“I understand that we was the underdog coming into the series, and with Kyrie being out people are writing us off. So, I mean, that’s fine. That’s fine. I’m motivated to get our guys ready to go tomorrow, and we will be ready.”
When James talked about the team being in the situation before, he was referencing the Cavaliers playing through the Eastern Conference Finals while Irving dealt with knee tendinitis. The Cavaliers are in an even tougher position against a team as offensive-oriented as the Warriors, especially since it will require more players to score in double-figures. It means that players other than James are also going to have to step up in a big way.
Though this latest Kyrie Irving injury update isn’t the greatest news for Cleveland Cavaliers fans, at least the surgery went well. It allows the team (and LeBron James) to get back to business when it comes to competing in the 2015 NBA Finals. As previously reported on the Inquisitr, the Cavaliers have already been playing without Kevin Love this postseason, putting pressure on everyone else to take on more responsibility. If James is now able to lead the Cavaliers to an NBA title without Irving or Love, it would certainly cement his legacy as one of the best players of all time.
One thing that will possibly come into play now, though, is offseason rumors about what the Cleveland Cavaliers can do moving forward. Kyrie Irving is getting a reputation of being injured all the time and that might not be something that LeBron James and Kevin Love want to anchor their careers too. Cavaliers fans should expect quite a few rumors about what might happen next with the roster.
[Image Source: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]
