The Cleveland Cavaliers are already down 2-0 in the NBA Finals and the latest rumors regarding star point guard Kyrie Irving will likely not make Cavs fans feel any better. NBA fixture Nate Jones has some inside scoop on that and why he hasn't been as explosive as we saw earlier in the year.
Kyrie looks a step slow. I've heard he isn't healthy as he was last year at this time and I'm starting to believe it.
— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) June 5, 2017
And he shared where he heard the information:
No. A former NBA player that's close with one of the Cavs coaches told me that when we were talking about the series on Monday. https://t.co/OuEM1Hp2Bw
— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) June 5, 2017
Jones got some back up from NBA insider J.A. Adande as well:
Kyrie said his knee wasn’t right late in season. He’s been banged up in playoffs, too https://t.co/kQwElq79gt
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) June 5, 2017
RELATED: As LeBron James walked off the court, a fight erupted right in front of him
Irving's postseason stats are pretty similar to his regular season numbers still, but it does seem that he has lost a bit of a pep in his step. He isn't finishing at the rim like he usually does and even seems pedestrian there at times. He scored 19 points in Game 2 and it took him 23 shots to do it while only making eight of them in the 40 minutes he played.
This will definitely be a key injury and scenario to keep an eye on as LeBron James and the Cavs are going to need Irving if they want to come back and win the series. Deron Williams has shown that he is not an ideal backup at all and they certainly don't want to have to use the third-string guy in 5'9" Kay Felder.
[h/t MSN.com]
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