Boston Celtics All-Star guard Kyrie Irving will have a “minimally invasive procedure” on his troublesome left knee tomorrow, the team announced Friday. Irving has been out of the Celtics’ lineup since first injuring the knee in a March 11 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
There is no timetable for Irving’s return from the injury, which the team says will become more clear after the procedure is completed.
The Boston Celtics announced today that guard Kyrie Irving will tomorrow undergo a minimally invasive procedure to alleviate irritation in his left knee. Further information will be provided following tomorrow’s procedure, and the team will have no further comment until that time.
Irving had sought a second opinion on his injury after not being pleased with the lack of progress in his recovery from the injury, as Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports first reported earlier this week. He has missed four straight games, including Tuesday’s 100-99 comeback win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Irving first acknowledged soreness in the knee after a loss to the Houston Rockets earlier this month.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens was asked before Boston’s game in Portland on Friday night the ramifications of Irving’s surgery.
“I don’t know yet,” Stevens said. “He’s going to have it tomorrow and we’ll know more about timelines after that.”
The knee is the same one that Irving injured in the 2015 NBA finals that required surgery.
After leaving that loss to the Pacers on March 11, Irving hinted at taking an extended period of rest for the balky knee.
Irving said the knee started bothering him during a March 3 showdown with the Houston Rockets, a game the Celtics lost 123-120. The former No. 1 overall pick sat out a 105-89 win against the Chicago Bulls on March 5 to rest that same knee, which he broke during Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He did return, however, to play in Boston’s victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 8.
Irving is averaging 24.7 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 40.8 percent on 3-pointers.
Stevens said the team will focus on its strengths in light on the injuries.
“Do what you do best. That’s it,” he said. “Everybody’s got something they do well otherwise they wouldn’t be in the NBA. Don’t try to be something you’re not, don’t try to make up for Kyrie’s absence, or Smart’s absence, or Tyson’s absence by trying to do what they do. Just do you and just be good at it, be reliable at it. That’s all we’re going to ask.”
Stevens said he had not had a lot of discussion with the front office about adding another player.
“I think that there is the possibility of applying for an exception again because of all the knee injuries and the length of injuries. I don’t know where we are with that, and I haven’t talked to them about any particulars.
He said if the Celtics added anyone it would be to give the team perimeter depth.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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