Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) tries to control the ball next to Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson during overtime of Game 1 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 4, 2015. Irving left the game with an injury right after this play. AP
OAKLAND, United States – Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving underwent successful surgery Saturday to repair the fractured left kneecap that will sideline him for the remainder of the NBA Finals.
The 23-year-old All-Star playmaker suffered the injury in over-time of Thursday’s 108-100 Cavaliers’ loss to Golden State in the opening game of the best-of-seven championship series.
Cavaliers team physician Richard Parker and doctor Damien Billow performed the operation at the Cleveland Clinic after Irving flew there for the surgery, which is expected to prevent him from any basketball activity for three to four months.
That timetable would see Irving return about the time the Cavaliers’ open pre-season workouts for the 2015-16 campaign.
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Losing Irving, who averaged 18.7 points and 3.7 assists in the playoffs and 21.7 points and 5.2 assists this season, is a major blow for a team that is already without star big man Kevin Love thanks to a separated shoulder suffered in the opening round of the playoffs.
Irving, born in Australia to an American father who was playing pro basketball there, underwent an MRI exam Friday that revealed the severity of the injury.
Irving played nearly 44 minutes against the Warriors in game one, contributing 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocked shots.
“I gave it everything I had and have no regrets,” Irving said in a Friday statement posted on Instagram. “I love this game no matter what and I’ll be back soon.”