Kyrie Irving continues to shoulder the pain as leader of the Brooklyn Nets
As the Brooklyn Nets prepare for a return to game action after the All-Star break, they learn that star Kyrie Irving is injured
Kyrie Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets this past offseason with plenty of hopes and dreams alongside fellow superstar Kevin Durant. Brooklyn expected to be without Durant but didn’t predict being without Irving for extended periods as well this season.
Irving has missed more than half the Nets games during the season’s first half while calling out his team’s needs for more talent. The talented point guard was left off the All-Star roster this year due to his injury woes most notably a banged-up shoulder limiting his participation in games and practice. Irving limped into the break with a knee injury was expected to be good to go to start the season’s second half.
Nets fans are instead left with the troubling news that his shoulder is still in bad shape forcing him to miss more time. The team announced Tuesday that Irving will once again be out for an indefinite amount of time. Head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke with reporters after the team’s first post All-Star weekend practice.
"That’s about all I can tell you,” Atkinson said to ESPN’s Malika Andrews, His shoulder continues to bother him. That’s about the extent of it now. The shoulder is a tough thing, I just think it was an on and off thing where it’s bothering you. Some days you feel good, some days you don’t feel good. But I think it got to the point it was, ‘Hey let’s see another specialist.'”"
Irving was named VP of the players association Monday and has followed up the good news with more uncertainty. The health of Irving may very well determine the Nets playoff hopes this season as they continue to barely stay afloat at the bottom of the potential playoff bracket.
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The Nets could consider scrapping the season and resting Irving for him to be healthy enough to team up with Durant next year in a more conventional supporting role to the former league most valuable player.