Report: Kyrie Irving to seek second opinion on ailing left knee
What's the story?
Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving will seek a second opinion on his ailing left knee, according to head coach Brad Stevens.
In case you didn't know...
Rookie big man Daniel Theis is out for the season after tearing his meniscus and veteran guard Marcus Smart hopes to return to the playoffs after tearing a ligament in his thumb. Boston also is playing without Jaylen Brown (concussion protocol).
The heart of the matter...
Kyrie Irving missed his fourth straight game on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder while waiting for his knee soreness to dissipate. According to the reports from league sources, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tells that there is no structural damage in Irving’s knee and that rest will be the best medicine for his eventual return to the lineup.
"Still the same thing that we've been talking about. That knee has been sore," Stevens said before the team's 100-99 win against the Thunder. "But he worked really hard to manage it throughout the entire season, and I think he's had some pretty good days recently, so I'm encouraged by it in the big picture."
Irving felt soreness in his left knee for the first time after a loss to the Houston Rockets. He has not played since he sat down after the first half against the loss to the Indiana Pacers on March 11.
"He's out because of knee soreness, not because we're choosing to rest him," Stevens said. "That's the bottom line. ... We've talked about it, we want him to feel 110 percent. He wants to feel 110 percent."
Stevens also stressed that the soreness is not a new pain but just lingering.
What's next?
Brad Stevens told that it is unlikely that Irving would be joining them for the upcoming 4 game road trip towards the West.
Author's take
With the Celtics fixed at the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, Irving can take all the time he needs to let that knee heal properly and return fully fit into the playoffs.