
As Celtics star Kyrie Irving continued to be sidelined due to knee soreness, worry in Boston swelled considering playoffs were right around the corner and the point guard has a rocky history with knee issues.
After it was announced yesterday that a minor procedure on Irving’s’s knee was now imminent, it was still unknown just how long that would keep him off the court. Irving underwent the procedure today, and the Celtics provided an update on the guard’s status with a 3-6 week recovery timetable:
Celtics guard Kyrie Irving today underwent a minimally-invasive procedure to remove a tension wire in his left knee. The wire was originally placed as part of the surgical repair of a fractured patella sustained during the 2015 NBA Finals. While removal of the wire should relieve irritation it was causing in Irving’s patellar tendon, the fractured patella has fully healed and Irving’s knee has been found to be completely structurally sound. Irving is expected to return to basketball activities in 3-6 weeks.
Kyrie Irving had missed five straight contests and it was clear the knee was beginning to become a real issue. A minor procedure during the season like this would likely alleviate Irving’s discomfort but the flashy Duke product may be rusty upon return.
With the current estimated timetable in place, it appears unlikely that Kyrie Irving would be able to return before the conclusion of the regular season. The earliest Irving would be cleared to return would be sometime during Boston’s first-round playoff series and almost definitely by the second round if they advance.
With rotational pieces Marcus Smart and Daniel Theiss already out for the season and starting guard Jaylen Brown still out with concussion symptoms, the Celtics could face a rough skid heading into the postseason. Considering this is all not including All-Star wing Gordon Hayward, it’s safe to say Boston has been hit especially hard by a slew of injuries in recent weeks.
Terry Rozier will continue holding down the starting point guard role in Irving’s absence while Shane Larkin should see his role off the bench increase as well.