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 An MRI performed at the Stanford Sports Medicine Clinic revealed the
extent of the injury. Irving will undergo surgery in the coming days
performed by Cavaliers head team physician Dr. Richard Parker at
Cleveland Clinic to repair the damage. Recovery time is estimated at
three to four months.
Midway through overtime in Thursday night's 108-100 loss to Golden
State, Irving went down awkwardly while trying to make an offensive
move.
Irving collapsed as he was driving with the ball with two minutes
left and grabbed the left knee, which has been bothering him with
tendinitis for the past six weeks, along with a sprained right foot.
He left the court to be examined and did not return.
When he left the locker room, Irving was limping significantly and
he exited the arena on crutches Thursday night. Now he is out for
the remainder of the series.
In 44 minutes of action Thursday, Irving finished with 23 points,
seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. He is averaging 18.7
points and 3.7 assists in the postseason after averaging 21.7 points
and 5.2 assists in the regular season.
The NBA Finals will continue with Game Two on ABC on Sunday at 8
p.m. ET.
- - -
The Warriors' overtime victory over the Cavaliers averaged a 10.6
household rating with more than 17 million viewers -- the largest
audience for an NBA Finals Game One ever on ABC.
According to Nielsen numbers released Friday, a record 17,768,000
viewers watched Game One on Thursday night, up 21 percent from
almost 14.7 million for last year's series opener between the San
Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.
The broadcast peaked from 11:30-11:45 p.m. ET with a 13.0 rating and
nearly 22 million viewers (21,931,000). The rating is up 24 percent
from an 8.9 for last year's Game One.
Game One delivered a 41.4 rating in the Cleveland market and a 28.9
in the San Francisco market. Both are the highest-rated NBA games
ever shown on ABC in the respective markets. Game One was played at
Oracle Arena in Oakland.
- - -
[to top of second column] |
Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love, watching the NBA Finals from the
sidelines because of season-ending surgery on his shoulder, is not
wavering about being back in Cleveland next season.
Watching his team face the Warriors has reiterated Love's desire to
win a championship with LeBron James and the Cavs.
"I had so much fun watching it because I want to be in a moment like
that," Love told ESPN on Thursday night after the Cavaliers overtime
loss.
"I'd rather be out there helping those guys, and I saw a lot of
places where I could help. I've never wanted to be in a game more
than that one."
Love, who had never been on a playoff team in his six prior NBA
seasons, was asked whether that meant he wanted to be back in
Cleveland next season.
"Yes. I want to win," he said.
Love, who joined the Cavs after an offseason trade from the
Minnesota Timberwolves, has a player option for the 2015-16 season
and could decide to opt out by June 30 to become a free agent.
- - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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