Cavs' Irving questionable for Game 2 vs. Hawks as knee hasn't improved
The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing the waiting game, as point guard Kyrie Irving is questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Atlanta on Friday.
Irving, who re-aggravated a left knee injury during the Game 1 win over the Hawks, missed Friday's shootaround in order to be evaluated by a team doctor. The Cavs said the All-Star's symptoms of tendinitis haven't diminished despite continued treatment since Wednesday's game.
Irving has battled knee and foot injuries that have slowed him throughout the postseason, but he said he was feeling better heading into the Hawks series.
That apparently didn't last long.
"I just don't have it right now," Irving said while icing his right foot and left knee after Game 1, as reported by NBA.com's Shaun Powell.
Since logging 39 minutes in a Game 5 victory over the Chicago Bulls during the second round, Irving has played just 39 combined minutes over the last two games - 12 in a series-clinching win in Chicago and 27 in Game 1 versus Atlanta.
The All-Star and All-NBA guard has averaged 18.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals on a True Shooting Percentage of 57.6 through 11 playoff games, but his explosiveness has clearly been diminished, something that's been painfully obvious on the defensive end.