CLEVELAND (AP) β Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving says he was not putting himself at risk by playing extra minutes when he broke his left kneecap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The All-Star underwent surgery and will need at least three months to recover from the injury, the most serious of his pro career. Irving had been playing with tendinitis throughout the postseason, but said doctors told him he was not more susceptible to getting hurt.
Irving says the injury happened on a “freak play” and he knew the moment it happened that it was serious. Irving had scored 23 points and was playing better than he had in weeks when he went down.
His leg remains in a cast and he’s still on crutches. He says it’s been difficult watching his teammates take on Golden State without him, but he’s “sitting back as a fan and enjoying it.”
